West Berks Foodbank

Published: 26 February 2025

The West Berks Foodbank has now been running for ten years.  Formed in response to a lack of food banks anywhere in the east West Berkshire region, the Foodbank delivers to residents in need and also has a drop-in centre in the Jubilee Annexe at Calcot from 1.00pm to 3.00pm on Mondays.

Covering Calcot, Tilehurst and Theale, the foodbank aims to empower people, rather than encouraging them to form a reliance on its services. Often the first resource people reach out to when they are in need o help, the West Berks Foodbank has formed relationships with organisations such as Sovereign Housing and the Centre for Sustainable Energy to provide a holistic solution to the issues its customers are facing.

Offering such services as housing maintenance, and an Employee Benefit and Welfare Adviser to help with form filling, the drop-in centre invites its clients to sit down for coffee and a chat while their food package is prepared, to identify the root causes of the issues each individual is facing.

It has branched out from its core aim of supplying food to people who need help, to providing such necessities as school uniforms, clothing and white goods. In line with recent events, a strategy is being developed to help the elderly cope with the reductions in the Winter Fuel Payments.

However, they still need help with food donations. Dried foods such as pasta and rice, tinned fruit and vegetables, long life milk all remain the priority, as do any financial donations. Food donations can be made at the Holy Trinity Church in Theale, and they are currently working on establishing other donation points in the community.

Help is arranged via a voucher referral system; these are issued by a local agency, such as Citizens Advice, children's centres or health visitors. Alternatively, call the Hardship Helpline on 0808 208 2138.

West Berks Foodbank drop-in centres are open from 1.00pm to 3.00pm on weekdays as follows:

Monday - Calcot
Tuesday - Newbury
Wednesday - Hungerford
Thursday - Thatcham
Friday - Burghfield and Newbury