This week three members of our team have had a positive diagnosis of Covid-19 and are too ill to work. This is a quarter of our staff and of course a threat to our operations.
Food Bank managers Bob Harper and Chris Emson organise a small team of volunteers to open each week. Rye Food Bank depends on staff reliability and skills to complete all the various tasks in order to be open to serve approximately 100 struggling adults and children.
Fortunately, some time ago and in anticipation of this happening, the managers implemented two separate teams working on an alternating week basis, so that if either team became depleted due to infection the other can step in. This happened this week and we managed to open. Our managers’ careful planning and foresight has kept us operational all through the pandemic.
Ensuring adequate stock is another important task. We are very fortunate to have the wonderful community of benefactors in Rye and district who are generous to us. Among them is Hands of Hope Charity who bring us fresh produce every week. Hands of Hope are one strand of the wonderful partnerships that work together with the Rye Food Bank for the benefit of those struggling in our community.
Thank you to everyone who donates to us. Everything is appreciated no matter how large or small.
Monetary donations can be sent to the Bexhill Food Bank Rye Branch at Barclays Bank, sort code 20-54-25, account number 83501116, through the Jempson Foundation or cheques to Rye Food Bank c/o 24 North Salts, Rye. If you donate via the Jempson Foundation and are a taxpayer, gift aid can be applied, thereby increasing the value of the donation by 25% at no cost to the donor. If you make a bank transfer, please do send us a message (via ryefoodbank@gmail.com) so we know who it is from and can send a receipt, if required.
Image Credits: Mags Ivatts .
Massive thanks to the team for all you do. Beautiful support in such challenging times. Wishing everyone very well very soon. All love to you, Marti xxx