Ludlow Food Bank's Open Table events aim to reach people on the brink
A food bank has started to hold events where it can help people who just need a bit of assistance to cope until the next pay day.
The monthly Open Table events at Ludlow Food Bank allow people to buy a bag of essentials for just £1 as well as the chance to have a piece of cake, a cuppa and a natter.
Ruth Davies, the coordinator at Ludlow Food Bank, said: "It is to supplement what we do. Our food bank works by people being referred for parcels but the Open Table events allow us to help people who maybe need a bit of help to get them to the next pay day.
"They are once a month drop-ins and people can buy a bag of food for £1 and speak to people about advice."
The next Open Table event will be on Monday, December 5, from 1-2.30pm at Rockspring Community Centre, in Sandford Road.
Housing Association Connexus, Christians Against Poverty, Ludlow Baptist Church and Hands Together Ludlow are all involved in the project.
Ruth added: "The hope is that we will just help them through so they won't need a full-blown food parcel.
"It's maybe for people who are on the brink and maybe that bag will be enough to help them get through to the next pay cheque or through a mini crisis or whatever it is."
"It is also a way for the food bank to get to know people who might, because of the escalating cost of living crisis, need to call on them.
"It is getting to understand what is going on in people's lives and find out about them and what is going on in their lives."
The food bank has held four of its monthly events so far and Ruth added that they have been quite successful.
As a member of the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance, Ruth says she has been growing the idea for a while.
"It is something that I have been thinking about for quite some time," she added.
And the backing from the local community has been 'wonderful' she said, with donations of food continuing to come from residents and businesses.
"People are wonderful and it is just so great," she added.
