Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Foodbank is a registered charity celebrating over 40 years of supporting the North Broxtowe community. The organisation began as a Volunteer Bureau in the 1980’s and moved into its current premises in 2002. The bureau has evolved to offer three vital local services, a foodbank, a befriending scheme and a transport scheme.
The Volunteer Bureau aims to support at risk, vulnerable and older people to live more fulfilled and independent lives in the community. With only 5 part-time employees the bureau relies heavily on over 45 volunteers who help deliver its services.
The Bureau is already an established part of the local community and as well as its three key services it has rooms for hire for community groups. Regulars include Knit & Knatter who make use of the facilities to while away a few hours in the company of friends whilst producing beautifully knitted garments and blankets.
On a Friday each week volunteers hand out between 30 and 50 food parcels to those registered on the scheme. This is quite a task as the food must be carefully rotated and bagged ready and any shortfall collected from the local community or supermarkets. Not only are the volunteers vital in providing this service, but the generous donations of the community also ensure the food Bank continues to be well stocked.
To register for the foodbank customers need to have a simple disposable income review. Emergency food parcels are also possible in extreme emergencies on a one-off basis.
Always on the lookout for volunteers, the Bureau has a busy schedule. The transport scheme carried out over 400 trips in the first 3 months of this year and more and more requests are received each week. 10 volunteer drivers and one part time coordinator manage this service which provides low-cost transport for journeys to doctors, hospital, shopping or visiting friends.
The befriending scheme currently has 14 volunteers who visit 18 registered clients. Some have become lifelong friends and visit both male and female clients regularly. Age is not a barrier and both young and the-not-so-young volunteers visit these lonely and vulnerable people making a real difference to their lives.
The Bureau continues to quietly get on with this essential work with the local community’s support. If you are interested in volunteering as a befriender or a driver contact the Eastwood Volunteer Bureau and Food Bank on 01773 535255. To register for any of the schemes, call the same number between 9 and 3pm for more information.
We provide our services for residents in Eastwood, Newthorpe, Giltbrook, Awsworth, Cossall, Nuthall, Watnall, Kimberley, Brinsley and Underwood.
