Wansbeck Valley Foodbank Launches Reverse Advent Calendar Campaign
As the holiday season approaches, Wansbeck Valley Foodbank is ramping up efforts to support our community members in need. This year, we're excited to announce our Reverse Advent Calendar initiative, a creative and impactful way for our community to give back during the festive period.
What is a Reverse Advent Calendar?
Unlike traditional advent calendars where you receive a treat each day, a Reverse Advent Calendar encourages you to give an item each day. From the 1st of November to 30th November, we're asking our supporters to add one food item per day to a box, helping us stock up for the challenging winter months ahead.
We're currently in urgent need of the following items:
- UHT milk
- Breakfast cereal
- Tinned tuna
- Jars of pasta sauce
- Kids toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Tinned meat (mince, steak, chicken in sauce, etc)
- Tinned Corned beef
- Teabags
Please note: We cannot accept out-of-date food, opened food, foods without best before dates or ingredient lists, or fresh/frozen foods.
Drop-off Locations:
We've partnered with numerous local businesses and organisations to serve as drop-off points:
Ashington:
- Asda
- YMCA
- Newcastle Building Society
- The Baldy Butcher
Bedlington:
- Bedlingtonshire Medical Group
Choppington:
- Guidepost Coop
Morpeth:
- Morrisons
- Iceland
- Lidl
- Marks and Spencer
- Morpeth Methodist Church
- Robson Green Optician
- Newcastle Building Society
- Sainsbury's (Stobhill)
- Loansdean Coop
- Pets at Home
Ellington:
- Coop
Pegswood:
- Coop
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea:
- Newbiggin Maritime Centre
- Various locations through The Biggin Box initiative (please check their website for details)
Or our address is: WVFB, Northgate Park, Morpeth, NE61 3BP (Follow signs for Bothal Building, car park on left with a porta cabin we are situated there). Open Monday to Friday 10am to 1.30pm.
"The Reverse Advent Calendar is a wonderful way for families, schools, and businesses to come together and make a real difference in our community," says Claire Slater, Senior Foodbank Coordinator at Wansbeck Valley Foodbank. "With the increased number of drop-offs points this year, we're hoping to reach even more families in need."
How to Participate:
- Get a box or large bag.
- Each day, add a suggested item from our 'urgently needed' list.
- Deliver your completed box to one of our drop-off locations by [specific date].
Remember, every donation, no matter how small, can make a big difference to someone in need this winter. Let's come together as a community and ensure no one goes hungry this holiday season.
Last December we had over 350 referrals and helped feed 548 adults and 384 children. In the year 2023 we received over 5500 referrals and fed 7551 adults and 4038 children.
For more information on how you can help, including volunteering opportunities, please contact us at claire@wansbeckvalleyfoodbank.org or telephone 07841 908 477.
Thank you for your continued support of Wansbeck Valley Foodbank.
