We have some exciting news to share about our food bank at Bonny Downs!

We’re joining the Trussell Trust network

On 13 April 2022, our food bank will join the Trussell Trust network. Around 2 in 3 food banks in the UK are part of this network, and joining has several advantages.

For example, our team will get access to more training and support. We will be better able to signpost our guests to relevant advice services and support them through a crisis. And the needs of our food bank guests will be fed into Trussell’s data, helping to shape their campaign for change across London and the UK.

This will bring some changes for the people who use our food bank and those who refer clients to us. You can read more about these below.

What this news means for you

Changes for our food bank guests

In order to prepare for the change, our weekly Wednesday food bank will be taking a short break. This means the food bank will be closed on Wednesday 30 March and Wednesday 6 April 2022. If you need help with food while we are closed, please visit this page on Newham Council’s website.

When we re-open on Wednesday 13 April, you will need to bring a food bank referral voucher from a frontline professional to receive a food parcel.

Some examples of professionals who can provide you with a referral voucher include: your doctor, social worker, a family support worker at your child’s school or your job centre case worker. 

If you are not sure how to get a voucher, you can call the Trussell Trust free helpline on 0808 2082138 (open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm) to speak confidentially to a trained Citizens Advice adviser. They will talk to you about the problems you’re facing and, if you need one, provide a voucher you can use at our food bank.

We will continue to provide a free community lunch to all who visit our food bank. If you are unsure how these changes affect you, please come along to have something to eat and talk to one of our friendly staff and volunteers.

We look forward to welcoming you to the food bank soon!

Changes for our referral partners

From 13 April 2022 our food bank will operate as part of the Trussell Trust’s Newham District network.

From this date, we will only accept online referrals via our new portal in order to make the process more efficient for everyone and remove the need for paper.

If you are a current referral partner, we need to ask you to make any future client referrals via our new online portal. We are in the process of contacting our referral partners individually with information on how to do this, however you are also welcome to email us or call 07737 054388 or 07723 134633 for further information.

We also warmly welcome new referral partners for our food bank! To come on board, please email us or call 07737 054388 or 07723 134633. We will explain how to join our online portal so you can make referrals online quickly and easily.

More info about our food bank

• Our food bank is open on Wednesdays from 11.30am – 2pm at Bonny Downs Baptist Church, 18 Darwell Close, East Ham, E6 6BT.
• We provide guests with a food parcel containing three day’s worth of emergency food, and a light lunch.
• To receive your food parcel, you must be referred by a referral partner. You can arrange this by booking an appointment with a frontline care professional who knows about your situation.
• We are also able to refer you to other specialist advisors, to help you through the challenges you are facing. If your circumstances improve, we can refer you to a food club for longer-term support too.