Get Help

How to get help

If you need help from our foodbank there are a few simple steps to follow.

Female woman with glasses, sitting at a desk with a computer, offering advice and support on a phone

The most important step is to get a foodbank voucher.

In order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation we work with local agencies. They will work with you to identify what help may be available to you and, if needed, refer you onto the foodbank for support. The local agency will also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis. 

Step 1. Get in touch with a local support agency.

The Foodbank cannot provide a food voucher directly to you, so you need to call one of our partners first to get a voucher. They will discuss your situation and supply you with a foodbank voucher where appropriate.

If you are in financial crisis , please click here to view our ‘Worrying about Money’ leaflet which contains information on local agencies who can support you. The agencies listed can help address your crises and provide support to maximise your income, help you navigate the benefits system, and identify any additional grants you could be entitled to. If needed, they’ll issue you with a voucher so you can get an emergency food parcel from our food bank.

Our main partner support agencies include:

Citizens Advice (Stroud & Cotswolds) https://www.citizensadvice-stroudandcotswold.org.uk/ (Freephone) 0808 800 0510
GRCC Community Wellbeing Service

https://www.grcc.org.uk/what-we-do/community-wellbeing-service

You will need your NHS number to receive a referral, however the reason for referral does not need to be a medical issue. Find your NHS number – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

07738 106384 / [email protected]
Cotswold District Council https://www.cotswold.gov.uk/council-tax-and-benefits/ 01285 623000 (Opt 4)

We work with over 70 other partners, providing a range of support, so if the above are not able to provide assistance please check our other partners here:

If you have any issues with getting a foodbank voucher call or email our foodbank we can talk through your situation and see what additional help can be provided.

Step 2. Speak with the Foodbank about dietary and other needs

The Foodbank will automatically be notified when you receive your food voucher. We will contact you to talk about dietary and other needs, arrange collection or, if necessary, discuss a delivery. If you have not permitted the foodbank to contact you, we will make a standard parcel available for you when you collect from our centres.

The Foodbank will also check that you have received the support you need from our referral partner to address the challenges you are facing and arrange a call with our support navigation team if needed.

Step 3. Collect you parcel / receive your delivery

If you are collecting from us, we’ll welcome you with a warm drink and our trained support volunteers will chat with you about your situation.  We’ll also help to support you in any other ways that we can. Most of our foodbank centres offer a cafe style environment and our aim is to provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis.

You can find a list of our local centres and opening times here.

If you have any further questions our FAQ’s page may help, or feel free to give us a call.

Step 4. Get a wellbeing check in from our team

Following receiving your parcel, we will check in to everything was okay and if you need any further help that we can refer you onto.

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