Living costs are rising and food is one of our most essential expenses. If you can’t afford groceries, here are some ways to get help.
Hart Foodbank
Provides food parcels for people struggling to put food on the table. You must be referred by a local agency such as Citizens Advice, housing support officers, children’s centres, health visitors, social services and some local charities.
Hart Community Pantry
Our local Community Pantry at Yateley Industries in Mill Lane, Yateley, provides affordable food and basics. You register as a member and pay £5 per shop to receive at least £15 worth of fresh, frozen, and general foods, plus other basics.
Darby Green Community Larder
A FareShare mobile larder at St Barnabas Church, Darby Green, every Thursday from 1pm to 2.30pm. Your bag will be prepared, in advance and a variety of products will be offered. You register as a member and pay between £2.50 and £5 (dependent on household size) for £10-15 worth of food. Email FSSouthernCentral@fareshare.org.uk for a membership form.
Odiham Foodbank
Based at All Saints Church offices, Ostlers Place, Deer Park View RG29 1JY. Open on Thursdays 1.30-3pm. For more details email odihamfoodbank@gmail.com or call 07387 116947.
Life Church Foodbank, Hook
Part of Hart Foodbank and based at Life Church Centre, Elms Road, Hook RG27 9DX. Open Monday and Thursdays, 1.30-3pm. For more details, call 07849 198179 or email office@lifechurchhook.org
Fleet Phoenix
Offers food and hygiene parcels to those families most in need at the Point Youth Centre, Harlington Way, Fleet. They are non-judgmental in their support and offer parcels of store cupboard food to help keep the bills down.
If you need help or would like to make a professional referral, please email info@fleetphoenix.co.uk or call 01252 812308 for more information.
Supermarket discounts
To help with the cost of living, a number of supermarkets are offering discounts and deals (for example, Asda is offering a free hot or cold meal for £1 to children 16 or under in Asda cafes, at any time of the day, 7 days a week).
School meals
Eligible children at a state school in reception, year 1 or year 2 are entitled to free school meals. Some older children are also eligible for a free school meal.
The Holiday Activities and Food Programme
A Department for Education initiative that provides free activities and food for children aged from four to 16 during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. All children in Hampshire who receive free school meals can take part in the sessions.
Household Support Fund: food voucher scheme for vulnerable households and pensioners
We have been allocated funding from Hampshire County Council, as part of the extended Household Support Fund to support households with food vouchers who are in receipt of Council Tax Support and or Housing Benefit.
The food vouchers are a one-off voucher that can be used in supermarkets to help with the rising cost of living, freeing up money for other bills.
You do not need to apply for the food vouchers as we will be writing directly to eligible recipients from the beginning February 2023 with instructions on how to access and use the voucher.
We are working with Wonde Ltd to deliver this scheme to the following:
- £30 per household in receipt of Council Tax support
- £50 per household in receipt of Housing Benefit only
The vouchers will be made available in the following two ways:
- Working age recipients will receive a letter with a QR code to claim the voucher online (an offline option can be made available in exceptional circumstances)
- Pensionable age recipients will receive a letter with a physical voucher. The nearest supermarket has been pre-selected, prior to issue, based on postcode.
Distribution and enquiries about the allocated vouchers have been contracted out to Wonde Ltd:
Email: support@evouchers.com
Help Centre: help.evouchers.com
