Photo: Trussell Trust

The Epsom & Ewell Foodbank is a charitable organisation dedicated to providing emergency food and support to local people in crisis. Founded by local churches and community groups, it is part of the nationwide network of foodbanks supported by The Trussell Trust.

Their mission is to combat poverty and hunger by offering nutritionally balanced food parcels to those in need. They operate using a voucher referral system, ensuring that help reaches those who are genuinely in crisis. In 2023 alone, they distributed over 10,000 three-day emergency food supplies.

The foodbank relies heavily on the support of the local community for food donations, volunteering, and financial contributions. Their vision is to create a community free from poverty, where everyone can afford life’s essentials.

About Epsom & Ewell Foodbank

Why do they do what we do?

Their foodbank was established by local churches and community groups, united in the mission to eradicate hunger in our area. They are a local foodbank and part of the Trussell Trust’s national network of foodbanks.

They provide emergency food, support, and advice to individuals and families experiencing severe financial hardship.

Since 2016, the number of people using their foodbank centres has increased five-fold, with a particularly sharp rise since the onset of the pandemic.

In 2023, they provided food and support to over 10,100 people.

They have centres open five times a week in Tadworth, Ewell, Banstead, Epsom, and Leatherhead.

They opened our doors in October 2012 with support from Generation Church. In April 2022, they became part of a new charitable trust, Good Company (Surrey).

Epsom & Ewell Foodbank generates approximately 200 hours of volunteering each week, and they have an amazing group of people who help out in various ways. They operate from a Christian ethos, but people from all walks of life are involved at all levels. It’s a remarkable testament to the community working together, with local people, churches, agencies, businesses, and schools all playing their part.

To say that they are closing our doors due to a lack of need for their services would be fantastic, but unfortunately, they cannot see that happening soon, as more changes, benefit caps, and the cost of living crisis continue to hit local people hard.

What’s next and what’s the future plan?

Over the last ten years, they have seen an ever-increasing number of people turning to them for help because they cannot afford life’s essentials. The cost-of-living crisis means that it’s more important than ever that we commit to creating a poverty-free future.

They are dedicated to working with local councils, schools, landlords, and businesses, alongside people with lived experience of poverty, making them central to decisions about how to tackle it.

They refuse to accept poverty as a given and are determined to continue our efforts until everyone has access to life’s essentials.