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FAQs
Here are answers to frequently asked questions:
How does my organisation make a referral to the foodbank?
Our foodbank works with a range of local agencies who meet people at risk of going hungry. Citizens Advice, children’s centres and health visitors are just some of those who can make refer people to our foodbank by issuing them with a foodbank voucher. If you think that your organisation could help people by referring them to our foodbank, please get in touch with us to discuss becoming a registered voucher holder.
Where is my nearest foodbank centre?
Please go to the locations page to find the address and opening times of each of our foodbank centres. Please note you must have a foodbank voucher to receive help from the foodbank. If you don’t have a voucher please contact us to find out how to get a voucher.
What’s in a typical food parcel?
See this page for more detail but a typical food parcel contains a minimum of three days of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable, tinned and dried foods that have been donated by the local community. Our current funding allows us to also provide a bag of fresh fruit and vegetables and we often have donations of bread and pastries from local businesses.
Can the parcel be adapted to special dietary requirements?
Our foodbank can usually adapt your food parcel to suit your dietary needs. Just let them know when you arrive with your voucher. We can provide specific parcels for a range of needs including people with diabetes, gluten intolerance, vegetarians and halal. We will also endeavour to adapt your parcel to accommodate any food allergies you indicate. This will depend on donations of these items.
Will the food parcel cater for my whole family?
Our foodbank will adapt your food parcel according to the number of adults and children indicated on your voucher. They will also endeavour to provide foods that are age appropriate and in suitable quantities for your children. We can sometimes offer baby foods, but it is important you do not rely on foodbank for baby provisions and you should contact your local Family Hub to ensure you get appropriate support.
I have a baby, can you help with supplies of nappies and wipes?
Our foodbank usually carries a small stock of donated nappies and wipes, which we can add to your parcel. Please let the foodbank know when you arrive if you need additional items for your baby. We will also signpost you to local provision of further support where possible.
What if I can’t get to the foodbank centre?
Our foodbank provides a limited home delivery service as a last resort. We prefer you to access a foodbank session as we provide various types of support to help resolve the issues that have led to you needing an emergency food voucher. If you cannot get to a foodbank session, someone can collect the food parcel on your behalf. This could be a professional or a family member/friend. In circumstances where you cannot get to a foodbank session due to health problems and you do not have anyone who can collect on your behalf, speak to your referral agency about requesting a delivery. We will usually need to speak to directly before we arrange this.
What if I want to make a complaint?
Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank is committed to delivering a high standard of service to anyone who engages with our work.
We believe that the best way to improve our service is by learning from the people who use it. We welcome comments, compliments and complaints from clients, referral agencies, volunteers and anyone else we come into contact with in our work. These help us to see what we are doing well and where we can make improvements.
We aim to promote an environment where people are encouraged to raise and discuss issues informally and, where necessary, seek solutions to prevent them developing into problems or complaints.
However, we recognise that there may be situations where people are not happy with the outcome of an informal discussion or feel that the issue needs to be taken further. In these cases, the Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank has a complaints procedure so that we can work towards a resolution in a fair and transparent manner.