New Lincoln mayor calls on city to donate to food banks to feed those in need

Volunteers at the Ermine Community Larder had a couple of pairs of extra hands helping out earlier this week, as the Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Chris Burke and his wife Councillor Sue Burke turned up to officially launch this year’s Mayoral Charity.

Councillor Burke has chosen to help all of Lincoln’s food banks and community larders during his year as Mayor of Lincoln.

Those wishing to donate can either drop food off at one of a local food bank or community larder on the day and times they are open or drop off a food parcel at the City Hall collection point at any time.

Food banks and community larders will greatly receive any food as long as it is packaged in ‘as new’ condition and it is well within its best before date. However, the items listed below are needed urgently:

• Tinned Fruit
• Rice pudding
• Tinned Meats (stews, meatballs,curries etc)
• Tinned Tomatoes
• Tinned Peas
• Tinned Carrots
• Tinned Sweetcorn
• Tinned Hot dogs
• Tinned Tuna
• Jam
• Weetabix or own brand equivalent
• Other breakfast cereals
• Semi skimmed UHT milk
• Small jars of coffee
• 250g packs of granulated sugar
• Biscuits
• Pasta sauces
• Baby food
• Women’s sanitary products
• Toiletries, but not nappies

Opening times and locations are:

• Monday
  • Food Bank, Newark Road, LN5 8PY – 2pm-4pm
• Tuesday
  • Food Bank, Birchwood Life Church, Birchwood Ave, LN6 0JE – 12pm to 1pm
  • Community Larder, Rosemary Lane, LN2 5AR (Opp. YMCA) –  1.30pm to 3pm
  • Food Bank, Moorlands Methodist Church, LN6 7RB – 1pm to 3pm
• Wednesday
  • Community Larder, Baptist Church, Laughton Way LN2 2ES – 9.30am to 10.30am
  •  Community Larder, Methodist Church, Addison Drive, LN2 4LQ – 11am to 12pm
  • Food Bank, Bridge Venue, 72a Newark Rd, LN5 8PY – 2pm to 4pm
• Thursday
  • Food Bank, Methodist Church, Skellingthorpe Rd, LN6 7RB – 10am to 12pm
  • Food Bank, Central Methodist Church, 123 High St, LN5 7PR – 10.30am – 1pm
  • Food Bank, Newark Road, LN5 8PY – 2pm – 4pm
• Friday
  • Community Larder, St Giles Methodist Church, LN2 4LQ – 9.30am to 10.30am
  • Community Larder, YMCA Annexe, Rosemary Lane, LN2 5AR – 1.30pm to 3pm

Mayor of Lincoln, Councillor Chris Burke said: “We have seven food banks and community larders in Lincoln, each of them providing a vital service for local people living in food poverty.

“I would encourage everyone to at least have a look to see if there is anything they can spare, and to help us feed those in need by dropping food items off at one of the seven venues in Lincoln.”

David Fleshbourne is a volunteer at the Ermine Community Larder, and was one of the people responsible for its creation in November 2016.

He said: “We all need food, but sometimes it is easy to take it for granted, and some people find themselves in such hardship that they literally can’t afford to feed themselves or their families.”