The Ash Villages Food Parcels Project began as a local response to hardship, during COVID-19 in 2020, and has evolved to become the local foodbank for Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham. Our footprint covers recognised areas of deprivation including Ash Wharf. We jointly run the project as a partnership between St Marys Church Ash Vale (Revd Neil Lambert) and the Ash Villages Support Circle (Cllr Carla Morson). The Project Manager is employed by St Mary’s Church, and all other team members are volunteers. The Chapel Project on Wharf Rd (old Methodist church) hosts us on site.
Our project is in ever-increasing demand, partly due to the cost of living increasing, and also because a lot of housing development is happening locally, increasing the local population. Each new housing project brings an element of social or affordable housing, and the people who relocate here are often in financial shock after the cost of moving, and in need of support as they have moved away from their familiar networks and other sources of help. We delivered 1560 parcels in 2025 (a 50% increase from 1040 parcels in 2024) feeding over 4600 people, and demand is forecast to be even higher for 2026. Our clients are referred to us by DWP, CAB, schools, social services, local churches and other agencies. Every story is different but all need help.
Our grass-roots model is tailor-made for our local community. Our Food Parcels are delivered to the doorstep, which is an unusual model for a foodbank, but much needed in our dispersed villages location. Delivery is a big help for a lot of our clients who suffer with disabilities, or mental health challenges, or have small children, or have no transport, or no funds for the bus. It also saves time for other agencies such as social workers who would otherwise have to collect. Three cheers for all the volunteers who prep, pack and deliver!
We include signposting of other essential help, for example CAB or CAP for debt advice, referral to the wellbeing team, and the 2 local warm hubs (community cafés at St Mary’s and The Chapel) for an opportunity to socialise, use the free wifi and ask for an emergency voucher. Because we know our clients, we can also send appropriate flyers to invite clients to join in with free community activities (toddler groups, summer fair, picnic and play, library services, Hear Here, etc) and help people to overcome the isolation that often comes with having a very limited budget.
We would like to ask your support please, to keep the project going and help fill the parcels with food and essential toiletries. We estimate that filling the food parcels will cost £35,000 this year, and we will need to fundraise and reach out to all available sources of help to achieve this, including you! £90 a week provides healthy fresh fruit and veg for every parcel. £15 a week goes on baked beans. Can you manage a one-off donation today, or even a regular donation to help us every month? Or pop a tin of beans in to the box at the Chapel when you’re passing? Every penny helps! Let’s make sure that no-one in our community ever needs to go to bed hungry. We can do this if we all pull together!
Thank you for your support.
Donations link: https://givealittle.co/c/7a47190c-ad4e-4cf9-8662-da844101a41c