It is credit to the spirit of the Farnham community that no family or individual supported by Farnham Foodbank will go without this Christmas.

As well as helping fill the charity’s shelves with non-perishable food items, the community’s support has enabled the foodbank to expand its offering this year to include fresh fruit and vegetable boxes – and Christmas pressies too.

To ensure it can reach everyone in need this festive season, the foodbank has partnered with schools to get Christmas hampers out to families who might be struggling.

Schools will help the charity to identify families and the foodbank will drop the appropriate hampers off at the school to be passed on. 

The hampers are filled with Christmas foods and chocolate selection boxes for the children to ease the strain on buying gifts for the little ones and other associated costs.

But it’s not just restricted to families. Anyone who seeks out the foodbank this month will receive a Christmas hamper. 

The charity has also been collecting odd bits and pieces to offer a selection of gifts for Christmas.

On Friday, December 8, a table was set up in the distribution centre where people could have a look at what was on offer and take anything they could give as presents.

Project manager Harriet Lanyon said: “We’re more than just a foodbank. We provide the food, but we also want to give more support.”

The charity’s fresh fruit and vegetable boxes have proved enormously popular, with foodbank users receiving two boxes of each every month on top of the regular contents of an emergency food parcel. 

These include non-perishable food items and fresh bread, as well as toiletries, baby products, pet food, laundry and cleaning products depending on the needs of the individual or family.

Food donation points are listed on the foodbank’s website https://farnham.foodbank.org.uk  – and the fresh food boxes have been made possible by generous cash donations.

Ms Lanyon said: “People in Farnham are very generous with food and financial donations, which includes businesses, churches and schools who are all very supportive.

“So, we’re able to help people a little bit more because of the support we get.”

Pets are not forgotten either, as the foodbank will frequently ask families if they need pet food to ensure they can keep their beloved four-legged companions and won’t be forced to give them up because of rising costs.

Farnham Foodbank uses a voucher referral system. Anyone struggling to afford the basic essentials can find out how to access support at https://farnham.foodbank.org.uk, by calling 07901 581539 or email [email protected]

“We hope we can help people as much as we can,” Ms Lanyon added.