Community foodbank extended its help to vulnerable groups during lockdown

The Nelson Community Masjid Foodbank based in Bradshaw Street had been operational for around eight months, prior to the recent pandemic, providing food parcels alongside other essential items to around 50 families a week.

As a result of the recent outbreak, with more than a million people being advised to shield, lockdown policies, self isolation policies, furlough and redundancies by employers, the foodbank organisers said they have seen a huge spike in the demand for the service that it offers.

Volunteer Khaleel Mahmood said: "We provide this service through referrals received from agencies and charitable organisations. However, more recently we have expanded our service to over 60's, self isolating families and vulnerable people.

"We are now providing £3,000 of food and essential aid per week to the community of Pendle. This amounts to around 200 deliveries per week."

Food parcels include fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, milk, pasta, tinned fruit and vegetables, cooking sauces, cereal, rice, flour, puddings, tea bags, sugar, salt, coffee, biscuits, chocolates, crisps and pasta.

Khaleel added: "Similarly we provide freshly cooked food prepared by members of the community so that people can enjoy the luxury of having a well cooked, nutritious meal prepared for them. We also provide toiletries, nappies, baby milk and other specific essentials when these are requested by members of our community.

"In recent times we have affiliated with Pendle Borough Council through the Community Hub to extend our reach to all corners of Pendle in our effort to ensure that the most vulnerable in our community do not go without food and essentials regardless of race or religion.

"Through these collaborations we have received generous donations from local businesses such as Morrisons and Wellocks who have provided us with a range of food items to put in our parcels. However, the vast majority of our donations still come from our very very generous local community. Without them, this would not be possible."

The whole operation is run from NCM by a large group of volunteers, seven days a week, headed by local Imam Afaq Khan.

Stock purchasing, stock organisation, parcel preparation, delivery co-ordination and deliveries are conducted by volunteers who give up their time to serve the community. These volunteers include local business owners, professionals ranging from accountants through to project managers, councillors, youth and charity patrons.

"We would like to thank the community for their ongoing support," Khaleel added.

"Secondly, we would like to further raise awareness of the support we are offering so that we can reach more people who need us. Thirdly, we would like to request the continued support from the community as without their donations this essential work could not be carried out.

"Due to the COVID-19 outbreak this service is essential and for a lot of people our food parcel is their weekly food supply and therefore we need to continue this."

To support the foodbank, email Khaleel on [email protected]