Haywards Heath Foodbank offers weekly Breakfast Bags for children

The foodbank,which is marking its first year at 9 Delaware Road (Unit A), is now offering Breakfast Bags.

These contain enough food to feed a child for a week and can be provided through the foodbank’s regular distribution service or picked up at its warehouse. Visit haywardsheath.foodbank.org.uk.

Foodbank manager Heather Cooper said: “We are luckier than most foodbanks in that we have regular new stock and supplies thanks to local kind-hearted people. It means that we can help partner organisations in the region struggling to meet demand.”

She said the foodbank’s number of clients grows every month, adding: “We are ambitious in our thinking and are constantly looking for ways to support our local community. The introduction of the BabyBank 12 months ago has been a great success and we have been able to help dozens of mums-to-be and new parents with clothes, equipment, toys, and food.”

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The foodbank said Breakfast Bags will be a weekly service available throughout school holidays and term time.

The foodbank added that it has recently teamed up with the University of Nottingham’s Human Nutrition Department. Heather said: “Our partnership with the University of Nottingham has meant that students have devised simple recipes using the staples from our food boxes, which need only kettles and microwave ovens to cook and warm. We have chosen three easy to make dishes – Anything Goes Risotto; Speedy Sausage Casserole and Tomato Pasta – and we have been providing our clients with these Winter Warmer recipe cards and ingredients as an extra source of nourishment while the weather is cold, and people are most vulnerable.

“We have just taken delivery of a large fridge freezer at the warehouse, which will be stocked with bread, frozen vegetables, and microwave meals as an extra resource for clients who call in to collect their boxes of food. We know that we do make a difference to the clients who come to us, but we are determined to do more.”

Haywards Heath Foodbank also said it is offering microwavable ready meals, blankets, duvets and slow cookers to elderly people if needed this winter.