Saltburn Solidarity Food Bank steps up in 2023

By Rosemary Nicholls

“Having our own premises is great; we can offer help to people in lots more ways,” says Saltburn Solidarity Food Bank founder, Lynn J.P.

Since the volunteers moved into the ground floor of the former Zetland Medical Practice at 2 Windsor Road in June 2022, they’ve welcomed people in need from 12.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but now their Monday hours are extended from 10.00 – 4.00 p.m.

“I don’t think everyone realises how people are suffering. There’s real poverty both nationally and within Saltburn,” says Lynn. She would never break confidentiality, but she says there are more people with one or more jobs, including nurses and teachers, now coming to the Food Bank. Especially if they are single parents, some are finding their incomes insufficient to buy enough food after meeting ever-increasing rent, fuel and household bills. “Wages aren’t going up, but everything else is. One lady told me that she used to put £10 a week by for electricity, but now it’s £40 a week,” she adds. “Something has to give.”

The ramp at the entrance has been kept from its Medical Practice days to make the Food Bank accessible for wheelchair users. Disabled people often struggle financially and Lynn says: “Hard times can happen to anybody; we welcome people from every possible demographic that you can think of.”

Despite doing all they can to earn enough to feed their families, Lynn says it’s very common for people to feel shame as they ask for food. To alleviate their distress, the volunteers can offer them a hot drink and a comfortable chair in the new space. One resource that SSFB isn’t short of is volunteers; so many local people want to help and this has enabled Lynn and her team to expand their offer, adapting to changing circumstances.

“As fuel has become so expensive, we’ve changed what we buy, for example from fresh chicken breasts to frozen cooked chicken slices from Iceland,” she explains. “Since the Saltburn launderette closed, we’ve set up a washing machine and tumble drier for free use and we have a brand new fridge freezer. The funding for these has been donated to us by local individuals.”

A skilled volunteer made twenty Christmas cakes and Sainsbury’s provided twenty bags of seasonal vegetables and fruit to go in Christmas 2022 hampers for families in need. “Mentioning every person and organisation who’ve helped runs the risk of missing someone out,” says Lynn, “but we’re very grateful to them all.”

“Our donation tub in Sainsbury’s needs daily emptying as it fills up quickly with food,” says Lynn. “We’ve benefitted from some generous fundraisers too. The Community Meal arranged by Sarah Hill last November raised over £2000 and Paul Como raised funds for us at a music night at Shanti Cafe.” Two young lads called to ask Lynn what food was needed, as they’d decided to shop for the Food Bank rather than buy each other Christmas presents and members of Saltburn Cubs and Brownies have made collections.

Since the New Year, the volunteer team members have set up a bric-a-brac charity shop in the front room and sales are providing another small income stream.

Ever resourceful, Lynn developed skills in making mulled wine before Christmas, when she was offered a stall to do it at the Bees and Carols Saltburn Concert. “I did some research to learn how and even at a moderate charge, it raised £660 for us before stocks ran out!”

She pays tribute to the help given by Councillors Craig Hannaway and Stuart Smith: “Craig has been busking for us with his guitar and Stuart cleared all the rubbish out of the premises before we moved in.”

Lynn prioritises preserving the dignity of people coming for help; she won’t ask them to jump through hoops. Since that day when after watching a Panorama programme on life on Universal Credit, she knocked at the doors of Garnet Street residents asking for food donations to meet local hunger, she and her volunteers have helped numerous people. But she says they’re working at the tip of the iceberg really. “It’s a bigger crisis than is realised,” she believes.

‘Yvonne’ says that since her partner died, she and their three children would have gone hungry without SSFC’s help. “We wouldn’t have had a Christmas dinner without them, so we’re very grateful to the volunteers and the people who donate the food. They probably don’t realise what a difference they make.” She praises Lynn’s response to appeals for help: “She doesn’t make you feel embarrassed about it.”

‘Susan’ adds: “They’re marvellous. I wouldn’t be able to afford food without it. They’re beautiful people.”

Lynn confirms that SSFB is non-political, but when I’m back home, I wonder why the sixth richest country in the world runs in this way. What do we want our children and grandchildren to learn?