Dear Friends and Supporters of the West Somerset Food Cupboard,
As the summer arrives across West Somerset, we wanted to share some of the lovely things that have been happening at WSFC over the past few months. From community donations and kitchen creativity to new partnerships and events, it’s been a busy season and we’re so grateful for the support of our local community.
Success of Our Easter Appeal…
Our Easter Egg campaign was a huge success, and we were overwhelmed by the community’s kindness and generosity. Thanks to local businesses, supermarkets and our social media appeal, we met all agency requests, stocked the Pantry, included an egg in every food bag, and even shared surplus donations to help Moorland Foodbank.
The response from families was incredibly moving, a reminder that treats many take for granted have become real luxuries. Huge thanks to Webbers, Amanda-Louise Funeral Services and The Bridal Boutique for their fantastic support.
We also had a surprise chocolate delivery earlier in the Spring when Butlin’s kindly donated leftover selection boxes (all safely in date, of course!). These were shared across our Minehead and Porlock communities and were very gratefully received.
A huge thank you to the team at Porlock One Stop Shop for creating their pre-packed donation bags.
Filled with essential items most requested by food banks, the bags make donating quick and easy for shoppers.
This Month’s Shortages
Any non-perishable food items are always gratefully received:
- Instant Coffee or Hot Chocolate
- Corned Beef/Tinned Ham/Spam
- Tinned Potatoes or Packets of Mash
- Tinned Ravioli, Macaroni Cheese & Spaghetti hoops
- Instant Pasta & Savoury Rice Sachets
- Tinned Fruit
- Pasta or Curry Sauce jars
- Small jars of Fish Paste & Meat Spread
- Jam and Marmalade
- Tinned meals – Beef Casserole, Chicken Stew
- Individual puddings – custard, rice pudding, jelly
We cannot accept open or out of date items. Please do not leave these items in our collection boxes. We welcome back any of our bags, please leave in the donation bin.
Welcome to Our New Trustee Treasurer
We are delighted to welcome Chris Nurden as the new Trustee Treasurer on the WSFC Board. We’re very much looking forward to working together and are grateful to have his support and expertise moving forward.
A lovely treat for our Pantry members!
Linda cooked up something special for our Pantry members – Mexican-inspired potato cakes! These were inspired by the Tex-Mex dips available in the Pantry, showing just how creative you can get with the ingredients provided. Members who had a taste loved them, and some even took the recipe home to try themselves! The recipe is now available on our website…
WSFC attends Party in the Park, Minehead
Party in the Park held on 9th May in Minehead was a fantastic day with entertainment, food and activities for all ages, and we really enjoyed meeting people at our stall, chatting about the work we do and raising awareness of the support available locally.
Congratulations to Talia who won Westie the Teddy, and to the young winner of our “Guess the Number of Cadbury Creme Eggs in the Jar” challenge – with the correct guess of 64!
A huge thank you to Butlins for kindly donating the Creme Eggs, and to everyone who came along to support us.
Closure of Citizens Advice in Minehead
Like many people locally, we were very sad to hear about the closure of Citizens Advice in Minehead after 48 years of supporting the community.
Over the years, Citizens Advice played an important role in helping local residents access essential support, including food provision. If you need support, please now contact Citizens Advice Somerset. Call 0808 278 7842 or go to www.citizensadvicesomerset.org.uk.
Ways you can support us
Food donations make a huge difference, but financial donations help us too. Monetary gifts allow us to react to our demand, purchase essential items or special dietary requirements – helping us provide balanced meals to more families in our community. Whether you donate food, funds, or both, your support helps ensure no one goes hungry.
Sign up to EasyFundraising: We already have 35 amazing supporters and have raised over £618 this way– every penny helps so please sign up. Over 4,000 retailers will make a donation when you shop through @easyfundraising, at no extra cost to you. https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/west-somerset-food-cupboard/
We’re proud to be part of the @coopuk Local Community Fund. To support us please go to: membership.coop.co.uk/causes/97711 We will receive a percentage of their profits one of their chosen charities.
