MORE than 5,000 residents in need of support in Evesham have benefited from access to food and other basics thanks to a kindly Christian charity.
Made up of 40 volunteers and three members of staff, Caring Hands in the Vale provides practical support for people in need through five dedicated resource banks offering food, household, baby, homelessness and pet food items.
It also hosts drop-in meals three times a week at its base in the centre of Evesham, where attendees have time to socialise over their food as well as find out about the network of support programmes Caring Hands runs.
The non-denominational organisation also operates a community pantry which helps thousands of people each year.
It regularly receives food from Tesco as part of the supermarket’s Community Food Connection scheme which runs at shops across the county in partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare.
Diane Bennett, community outreach manager at Caring Hands in the Vale, said: “Since we became a registered charity in 2016, we’ve seen the demand for food parcels almost triple – especially since the cost-of-living crisis.
“Thankfully, with the help of our volunteers and the support from the local community, including the ongoing food donations from Evesham Tesco and FareShare, we know we can help those who are struggling in the area to have access to a normal meal.”
Sarah Briggs, store manager at Evesham Tesco, said: “It’s wonderful to witness the commitment the team at Caring Hands in the Vale put into their community.
“Their dedication shines through everything they do, and to be able to assist them through the Community Food Connection is a fantastic opportunity to be involved in because everyone deserves access to a well-balanced meal, no matter their situation.”
Caring Hands in the Vale was founded in 2003 as part of the Vale of Evesham Christian Centre and became an independent charity in 2016. It operates a ranges of services including debt counselling from the Lighthouse, in Vine Street.
See chands.org.uk for more information.
