There’s nothing like a hot cuppa to make a welcome warm. And nowhere is that truer than at North Cotswold Food Bank where a wonderful team from St Michael’s have set up a new tea trolley service.

The Food Bank, a mission partner with St Michael’s Church, opens its doors at St Michael’s Centre in Bishop’s Cleeve every Friday where its volunteers distribute tonnes of groceries to people in need.

“The team vicar Ben Williams asked if there was anything the Church could do to support us,” said Bishop’s Cleeve Food Bank Lead Gill Donovan. “Someone suggested offering tea and coffee and, as if by magic, we had three volunteers who said they’d help out and set up their own rota.

“The tea trolley has totally transformed the way everything feels. Our clients get a warm welcome and a free hot drink the minute they come through the door.

“People who use the Food Bank often have a lot to deal with and when they come to see us – especially for the first time – they can feel unsure, embarrassed or upset. So that first point of contact and the welcome we offer is crucially important.

“We are so grateful to the tea trolley team for helping to make the whole process feel more relaxed and friendly.” 

The tea team are Jane Powell and Julia Dowle from St Michael’s and Kathy Howard from Gotherington.

“We are very glad to help and everyone has been very appreciative,” said Kathy.  “It just makes people feel wanted and makes it easier for everyone to talk to each other and to us.“

Based at Guiting Power, the North Cotswold Food Bank was set up in 2011 and operates in Chipping Campden, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and Winchcombe, as well as Bishop’s Cleeve.

It distributes more than 1,700 food parcels per year which provide food for more than 4,000 people in distress and is part of the Trussell Trust network which provides more than 3 million food parcels per year across the UK.

For more info: https://northcotswold.foodbank.org.uk



Picture: The North Cotswold Food Bank team with Jane Powell who helps run the new tea trolley service