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Amazon wish list appeal pays off

Amazon wish list appeal pays off

Tuesday 05 December 2023

Amazon wish list appeal pays off

Tuesday 05 December 2023


Deliveries to the Guernsey Welfare Service HQ on Upper Mansell Street must have kept Guernsey Post busy yesterday.

The charity received a huge delivery of Amazon boxes filled with tinned food to be shared out among needy families this Christmas.

Last week, Sue Le Friec told Express how the charity needs additional donations as it expects more people than ever to visit the food bank during the three weeks it would be open between 1 and 22 December.

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Pictured: Just a few days ago the Guernsey Welfare Service revealed it is expecting to see more than 500 families or individuals this month. 

The charitable service based in Trinity Square saw November break its record for its busiest month.

Co-ordinator Ms Le Friec said the number of people using the food bank service has increased since the pandemic with job losses causing food insecurity at the time, followed by the big increases in food prices and the wider cost of living seen more recently.

"We see an increased demand on our service," she said.

"This year we have probably seen an average of around 60 people a week, last year it was an average of around 40 people a week."

Until 22 December, the food bank will be distributing both festive items and regular food stuffs for school lunches and family meals - but Ms Le Friec is expecting to see triple the number of people during each of those weeks compared to a 'normal' week.

"...because we're only really open for three weeks in December we would expect to triple those numbers. Last year we saw around 500 people in December and this year we expect it to be higher," she said.

Speaking to Express on the final day of November she said the month had been its busiest ever which also suggests December will break records.

"...at the moment we look quite well stocked, but in actual fact we had our busiest November ever so some of our groceries aren't as well stocked as they normally would be at this point. So we would still value donations."

Mrs Le Friec said shoppers can donate via the collection bins at the Co-op Grande Marches, Waitrose and Alliance. 

Online shoppers can also donate via Amazon where the charity has a 'wish list' which includes things like tins of soup, ravioli, beans and more.

Since that appeal was made last week - following social media posts on the charity's Facebook account - hundreds of items have been delivered to its door. 

Ms Le Friec acknowledged it is often better to "but local" but they need to focus one what their service users need.

"People obviously want to support shopping locally and that is at the heart of what we would want, but we have to recognise that nowadays people shop in a variety of ways and we have to, if we want the support, we have to move with the times and we know that a lot of people do their shopping online and particularly with Amazon.

"So at the beginning of the year we created an Amazon wish list and it's been very fruitful for us.

"We have some lovely donations and we're very grateful to everyone who donates in whatever way."

Apply to the food bank

Anyone wishing to contact the food bank can do so by calling 724300 or emailing info@welfare.gg

You'll be invited in for a chat where you will need to disclose some personal details like how many adults and children are in your household.

Then you'll be taken through the process for the food bank itself.

Donate to the food bank

Buy additional store cupboard items - tinned goods, packets, pasta, rice etc - and donate them at the Co op Grande Marche, Waitrose or Alliance.

Deliver donations to the food bank itself at Upper Mansell Street.

Buy via Amazon and donate to the food bank wish list.

LISTEN:

READ MORE...

LISTEN: 500+ to visit food bank this Christmas

Food bank gets busier every year

Food bank benefits from KPMG donation 

HSBC supports foodbank 

 

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