A FOOD bank, started by an 11-year-old, is expanding as a ‘heart-breaking’ number of people need help.
Isaac Winfield set up the food bank outside his home in Greenlands, Redditch out of a pop-up greenhouse in December 2020 to help people struggling over the festive period.
Fast forward nearly two years, Isaac’s Food Bank has become a vital part of the community and is feeding more residents than ever before.
Due to increasing demand, Isaac is set to open a bigger shed in his front garden and a second site in Batchley.
His mum Claire-Louise Chapman said it is breaking her heart to see so many people needing help.
“There has been a huge increase of people needing the food bank since the cost of everything has gone up,” said Claire.
“We have nurses come to us sobbing that they cannot feed their children, it is awful.
“Everybody is feeling the increasing costs. The driveway can be a place of mixed emotions.”
Isaac’s ‘desperately needed’ new shed, which was donated by Redditch Round Table, is set to open next week.
“We plan to use the bigger shed for the food bank and our current smaller shed will be put in our back garden for storage and the smallest shed will be used for a community library,” added Claire.
“We desperately needed another shed as we just couldn’t hold enough stock.
“Another family living on the Batchley Road has offered their driveway to us for a second site.
“This will be open in the few months, making it easier for people on the other side of Redditch to get to us.
“The number of donations we have and the amount of people that need support is crazy and it’s only going to get worse with the cost-of-living crisis.”
Isaac, who is turning 11 today (October 4) has asked for people to donate to his food bank for his birthday.
Claire said: “A few weeks ago, Isaac was talking about his birthday, and he said he wanted donations for his food bank.
“We have run a fundraiser and the van is nearly full!”
Anyone who wants to donate to the food bank is asked to donate ‘meals in a tin’ that can be cooked in a microwave or kettle.
Claire has noticed that more people want food they can cook without an oven as it’s cheaper and more economical.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here