GENEROUS worshippers across our diocese raised more than £9,000 to help those suffering in the Middle East and those relying on Foodbanks here.

The cash was raised via the annual Bishop’s Lent Appeal, which involves the bishop selecting one local and one global charity that will be recipients of cash raised in this diocese. This year the two charities were the Tearfund Middle East Appeal and Foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust.

Worshippers across our diocese held fundraising events and made donations during Lent amounting to £9,070. Half of that has gone to help those affected by the current conflict in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon and supported by the Christian charity Tearfund. The other half was split between Foodbanks in Portsmouth, Fareham and the Isle of Wight, each of which received £1,511.

The Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight, the Ven Steve Daughtery, presented a cheque to the island’s Foodbank, and was given a tour of its headquarters in Cowes. That’s just one of its five locations on the Isle of Wight, where last year they fed over 7,000 people in need.

“The Foodbank here was started around 13 years ago by a community church in Cowes, and a number of our current Foodbanks are in churches and many of our volunteers are Christians,” said manager Kay Lewis. “We are affiliated to the Trussell Trust, several of our trustees are Christians, and we do hold weekly prayer meetings.

“After receiving a referral voucher, everyone is welcome to come to our Foodbanks in Newport, Sandown, Freshwater, Ryde or Cowes. We probably see 500 people each month, and about 85 per cent of them only come once or twice because they have a specific crisis. That might be the loss of a job, being in debt or an illness. There are more than 100 agencies that refer people to us, including schools and GPs.

“Of course, if a client keeps coming, we will talk and signpost to relevant agencies, sometimes offering them one-to-one support or advice from our financial inclusion officer – as part of Citizens Advice – about the reasons why they are in crisis and how they can be helped moving forward, so they are not in food poverty.

“We receive donations from the public with drop offs at churches and supermarkets. After weighing them in, we store them in our warehouse. We can then offer each client a nutritionally-balanced package of food that will last them for three days. This may include items such as pasta, rice, bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, so they can eat a balanced diet

“We are not just about food; we also collect donations of clothes. Once a month we have a clothing sale, which is open to the community, where people can find a bargain, by supporting our ‘Fashion into Food’ campaign and the money raised allows us to top up our food donations, supporting people opt of food crisis.

“We are incredibly grateful to those who go to churches across the Portsmouth diocese, who have raised this money and will help to make things easier for those in real need across the island. We wish that we didn’t have to exist, but while we do, we want to provide people with whatever they need.”

The Cowes headquarters includes a warehouse, a Foodbank café where clients can get their food and support, an outdoor space where vegetables are grown, and a clothing room. Three out of five of their Foodbanks are in working churches including, the Newport Foodbank within St John’s church hall, the Freshwater Foodbank in the Methodist church and the Ryde one inside Grace Church on Marlborough Road. Find out more on www.isleofwight.foodbank.org.uk