Volunteer call for Telford food share project

Telford's Food Share Project is in desperate need of volunteers as the scheme continues to grow.

Telford Food Share Manager Lea Beven along with managers: Clare Watt and Diane Levitt. On the wagon is Geoff Hipkiss from Blakemores who were donating the food pictured

The project, which describes itself as a social supermarket, stocks donated food from wholesalers for people in the community to use, like a foodbank. It is a zero waste project that aims to help vulnerable access essentials.

Boss Lea Beven said they are looking for people to help out at the centre in the old Staples store on Rampart Way and also delivering parcels in Telford, and going further afield to pick up deliveries.

"We are absolutely desperate for drivers and people who can take crates back and forth, also people for the tills, stacking shelves, supporting people when they come in – there are so many roles," Lea said.

"People can just pop in and say they are there to volunteer, we will give them a job to do. We are open everyday, volunteers normally start from 9.45am to around 5pm. Pick-ups from stores can go as late as 9.30pm when people can drop them off in the outside refrigerators. Sundays we work around 10am to 1pm.

"We just need bodies really. Now we have an extra unit we have more stock to transfer."

Telford Food Share project is putting a call out for volunteers with a bit of muscle. They need help back of shop with the moving of pallets and boxes. On top is Manager Lea Beven along with managers: Clare Watt and Diane Levitt

Lea said the project has been busy over the past few months, with more and more people in the community relying on them.

"It has been heartbreaking the amount of people coming in who rely on the food share," she said. "Even in supermarkets, if people can't pay for their food, we will.

"We have got a wonderful team that really have fun and there's a really good vibe. People who have skills like a forklift licence and heavy good vehicle licence are really useful. If you have those, please bring them with you.

"We are after delivery drivers who can do long distance, to Grantham, Newark, Leicester, London, Birmingham, etc."

Anyone wanting to volunteer can go to the unit on Rampart Court and speak to Lea. The project is also looking for new home in Telford for its pop-up shops.

"We are also trying to find two buildings, two empty shops really the size of a convenience store for our pop up stores, which are like walk in foodbanks.

"We're looking for one in Donnington, and one in the Madeley/Brookside area."

Visit www.facebook.com/foodshareproject/ for more information and to get in touch.