Volunteers at a North Shields foodbank are working tirelessly to ensure that nobody in their community goes hungry during the coronavirus outbreak.
Gary Jacques, a manager at The Parks sports centre, is one of 10 council volunteers redeployed to help at the BAY Foodbank, in North Shields. He drives a van Monday to Friday making deliveries in the local area.
The 32-year-old said: “I’d normally be running The Parks centre. We closed on the Wednesday before the national announcement that everything had to close, although we initially continued going to work and organised deep cleans of the centre.
“One day we came in and our boss asked if we’d like the opportunity to volunteer at the foodbank. And here we are.
“Me and Sean, our other team leader, have already taken the van proficiency test for the council, so they’ve given us a van each and we are out doing deliveries, taking food parcels to people who are in need and vouchers for gas and electricity for those who are eligible.
“The foodbank have the parcels ready-made and we load the vans and take them out to people who need them, and there’s another team from the council helping with packing and processing the donations.
“Before the restaurants and everything closed, we spent the first day picking up donations from local businesses but now that has stopped. What the guys at the foodbank are saying is that now the supermarkets have put limits on items, the donations have started to dry up.”
The one thing never in short supply is community spirit.
He added: “It feels like we’re giving something back to the community. The people who run the project are brilliant, they couldn’t be more welcoming and have a real passion for everything they do. We’re getting well looked after.”
Gary is also proud of the collective effort and flexibility of other council staff who have redeployed in other areas.
“It’s great what everyone’s doing to keep the services running in people’s time of need.”
North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn CBE, said: “I’m very proud to see our staff putting themselves forward to be redeployed in other areas of the organisation and helping out at the foodbank. The work they are doing helps to shield and support some of the most vulnerable people in our community at a time of urgent need and I thank everyone attached to the project for their passion and commitment to helping others.”
Reverend Alan Dickinson, Chairman at The BAY Foodbank, said: “In such challenging times we have been so grateful for the extra hands, and vans, provided by North Tyneside Council. It's made such a difference."
Based in Meadow Well, the BAY Foodbank aims to provide emergency food provision to individuals or families experiencing a financial crisis.
Donations can be dropped off at locations including supermarkets, churches, and other businesses in North Tyneside
Locations and items urgently needed are detailed here.
