In response to Mrs Brookes’s letter (February 7) describing situations where some people are seen to be abusing the services of the Malvern Hills Food Bank, I would like to assure her and everyone in our community that every precaution is taken by our dedicated team of volunteers to avoid clients doing this.
We have been a much needed lifeline to the majority of recipients of our food parcels (about 40 per cent being children).
Malvern Hills Food Bank operates under the umbrella of the Trussell Trust, a national organisation, and complies with their operating procedures.
The result being, that all our referral agencies do their best to ensure that the circumstances of all applicants justify the issue of a food voucher.
No client can receive more than three food parcels (apart from very exceptional circumstances).
They are designed to provide a breathing space while the root cause of the problem is addressed, which means clients are signposted to the appropriate agency that can advise them.
On behalf of all the volunteers working for the Malvern Hills Food Bank I would like to thank everyone in the Malvern area who has so kindly donated food and monetary gifts in support of this project and I trust they will continue to do so as long as a food bank remains a need in these times of austerity.
Christine Bray
Chairman
Malvern Hills Food Bank
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