Travellers foodbank challenge.

[Devilesko]

Posting for traffic and suggestions.

We have started the fb challenge again this year as it's needed more than ever.
We challenge family members to buy an extra weeks worth of food and donate to food banks. Nobody is left out, we all have to rise to the challenge and want to, tbh.

I have posted on dozens of pages asking to remember to include san pro.
If anyone has suggestions that might be forgotten, I'd appreciate the heads up. Also, just to let the people in supermarkets and food banks aware, as this is usually done on such a big scale.

So far I have family in Leicester and Cheshire signing up. But will post other areas as I become aware.
Any suggestions will be very helpful.
Tia.

I don't know if anyone mentioned it but soap, shampoos, handwash.
Pens and notepads for kids?

It does seem slightly wrong that on one hand you are helping people who can't afford food (which is obviously a good thing) but on the other hand you make people donate in your family who can't afford it and possibly might need the food bank items themselves. It doesn't seem right that you can't get out of it, that doesn't seem very charitable.

Aw, I have a thick skin, you need to have

I can't thank you enough for the suggestions, I just usually do food to be on the safe side.
FWIW I do see the point that others can't afford to do this, but isn't it good that the whole community are doing this.
There are hundreds of us in one extended family and we consider all other Romany (in my case) to be family.
It may be hard for some to see, but it's a mass donation that travellers do.
For all our faults we have a huge sense of charity giving, and see it as duty.
I don't need thanks, honestly. Many people donate to food banks it's not just the travelling community. We just do it on mass around xmas time. It's a huge event for us and we post our picture with our stash once we've done it.

@WhoWants2Know

The post was clear to me, as it's something that's been well publicised for years.

But as usual, some posters can't see the word traveller without hoiking their knickers up so far as to be irretrievable.

Morrison's seem to be in good contact with the foodbanks and pre-wrap packs of shopping that are needed so they don't just end up with beans.

Exactly. I hadn’t heard of it before but I still understood what was meant. Even if people aren’t sure there is a way to clarify without being an arse like some people have been.

And if the thread encourages Just one person to donate one item then even better!

Hot choc for winter would be nice, you can get the one that can be made with eater incase there’s a milk shortage!

God some of the comments on this thread are really mean. Sounds lovely op. But don't put yourself under too much pressure financially.
Sorry people are being rude I know travellers get a lot of shit anyway. Xx

@Devilesko

Posting for traffic and suggestions.

We have started the fb challenge again this year as it's needed more than ever.
We challenge family members to buy an extra weeks worth of food and donate to food banks. Nobody is left out, we all have to rise to the challenge and want to, tbh.

I have posted on dozens of pages asking to remember to include san pro.
If anyone has suggestions that might be forgotten, I'd appreciate the heads up. Also, just to let the people in supermarkets and food banks aware, as this is usually done on such a big scale.

So far I have family in Leicester and Cheshire signing up. But will post other areas as I become aware.
Any suggestions will be very helpful.
Tia.

People who do this need to ask the local food bank what is needed, they do lists of what is most needed on a regular basis.

What a great idea! Our local food bank and community pantry always need tinned meat - Fray Bentos steak pies, meatballs, chicken in sauce, corned beef more than anything else. Also tinned fruit, UHT milk, teabags, coffee, sugar are often on their 'most needed' list as they are less likely to be donated.

Well done OP! This is a good reminder. I am not a traveler, but I have enough money to participate, either to this scheme or to another. With the support of a whole community, with big families, like the Travellers, the food banks will really benefit.

I would see whether anyone in your community would consider asking their local food bank if they would prefer a donation towards running costs - electricity, admin etc. But if you’d prefer to buy food - then not baked beans, they usually have enough to sink a battle ship - and tinned puddings - and toothpaste / toothbrushes / deodorant.

This is a lovely idea 😊

What a great idea!

My friend runs a local food bank - she said they will also appreciate financial donations, or to call your local one to see what they don't have enough of.

Oh - food banks often have a High Needs list online if you google - of the things they really need

The racism on this thread! OP it's a great project and I love that you see it as so essential that family help each other out to do it if you're struggling financially that year.
Not sure if these have been mentioned but: UHT milk, jars of baby food, tinned tuna, antibac wipes, toilet roll, nappies, baby wipes, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Well you've encouraged me to be better prepared for next Christmas OP.
I'm going to put £1 a week in a money box starting now, by next December that should be £55, which someone has mentioned is an average weekly shop.
Thank you for the kick up my backside 👍

I had never heard of this but like a PP just googled it, it is a really amazing thing to do OP!

I used to volunteer at a food bank and we always needed smaller packets of food, so smaller bags of pasta (rather than huge ones) as we couldn't open it to help more families. So smaller bags of sugar, tea (rather than massive boxes), etc.

Also agree with toiletries too and things that you only require a kettle for (so soups, noodles, porridge, etc). We were always short of UHT milk too.

As well as food, I also put things like soap, tampons/towels, nappies and toothpaste in. Not formula, food banks can get quite arsey about it which annoys me as not all women can breastfeed.

@SchrodingersUnicorn hello there😱😂

I love the way the donation itself is a community event- a bit like Comic Relief, making an occasion out of it.

It may work a bit like harvest festival, where lots of charities receive a big boost of donations. We always confer it's our receiving charities, it would be rude to turn up with a boot full and expect them to be able to process it without warning!

Thanks for the many reports about this thread. As you can see, we're zapping any inflammatory posts and will be taking further action behind the scenes...

Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines for anyone who needs a reminder.

And here's a link to the Birmingham Mail coverage of the #FoodbankNomination challenge from previous years - The incredible travellers foodbank challenge going viral across the UK - which involves members of the Travelling community nominating each other to fill a trolley or a basket with food.

Thanks for posting about it, Devilesko.

I'm going to put £1 a week in a money box starting now, by next December that should be £55, which someone has mentioned is an average weekly shop.
Going to do the same but at the start of each month. We spend £35 so it would be £3 a month for us.

I think, it’s a great idea, do what you can.
I tend to donate tinned fish, sanitary stuff and tea / coffee.
Tho I think cash donations is easier as they can buy what they need

What a lovely way to raise donations! Ignore the haters on here. Silly prejudice.

I'm part of a small community foodbank that was set up as a Covid Mutual aid initiative. We do welcome cash donations of course, but it can be difficult and time consuming to constantly be doing big shops as we are all volunteers.

We find a lot of recipients are single person household- in fact we often find it difficult to give away big family size products like cornflakes etc. So lots of smaller size tins and smaller size coffee, tea bags, sugar etc.

Also shops do tend to donate a lot of season specific things-we were inundated with easter eggs so I would avoid mince pies etc.

Also many beneficiaries may have very limited cooking skills and no access to a cooker or even a fridge- so single tray long life none chilled meals, packet soups, microwave pots etc are popular.And those individual cereal boxes. Long life milk and squash are in huge demand

Tinned fish and meat for sure. Our most popular range is always tinned puds. They always go first.

We have accessed specific charities for Sanitary products so check if they are needed. Same with toiletries which we have got donated from local factories

Fantastic challenge- well done to all your extended families

Good grief this thread.

@Devilesko thank you. The foodbank I volunteer at has definitely benefitted from this in previous years. A few thoughts:

• definitely worth checking local foodbank lists. It's often a given that we don't need beans or pasta, but for some reason my foodbank is also generally absolutely inundated with sanitary products - we regularly take a load down to the refuge because we have more than we need.

• if the donations will be large please have a think about how you will get them to us. One year we had phone calls saying "we've done a week's shop for you, there are two trolleys to collect in Tesco", which was actually really awkward, we're all volunteers and we can't necessarily drop everything to sort that out. Tesco got a bit tired of it all taking up space before we could get there.

• at this time of year please be especially careful about Christmas stuff with alcohol in it. We never give anything with even a hint of booze in it and at this time of year it's EVERYWHERE!

• as someone else said, please consider the Free From shelves.

• please consider giving fewer high value items. This is such a tricky one as people understandably like to feel they're giving a lot - so are more likely to pick a pack of four tins of beans than one tin of stew for a similar price. But the fact is we have ALL THE BEANS IN THE WORLD but regularly run out of hearty meat meals.

Whatever happens thought please be reassured that nothing will go to waste. We work really hard to redistribute food which for whatever reason isn't appropriate to go in packs. We have relationships with local night shelters, homes for vulnerable people, the refuge, the churches which cook meals for those who need them. Nothing is ever wasted.

Thank you @DawnMumsnet