A foodbank in Peterborough says people could go hungry without a new building for the charity to use
A local food hub were given two weeks notice by Peterborough City Council to leave the building they currently use due to health and safety reasons
Last updated 17th Jan 2025
A foodbank in Peterborough say families won't be able to get the vital help they need if they can't find a new building to use.
It's after Thorney, Eye and Surrounding Area Food Hub were given two weeks notice by Peterborough City Council to leave the building they currently use due to health and safety reasons.
It's going to be a case of eating, heating, or paying bills, and I'm really concerned
Erin Tierney, who runs the foodbank, says they could have to temporarily close until a new building is found.
She says the closure could have a devastating impact on local families:
"We've got so many families and people who are struggling to make ends meet, whether it's due to illness, their wages not covering it, or not working."
"Without us, some of them won't qualify for other food banks in the area, so I hate to think that people just aren't going to be eating for a while."
"For some people, it's going to be a case of eating, heating, or paying bills, and I'm really concerned."
"We've got some retired elderly people who use us because their pensions don't cover everything, and the thought that they're going to be sitting indoors and possibly not eating is horrible."
"I feel like I need something from the council. We need somewhere to run from; we need help moving it, a storage facility, and some notice."
"It's going to be a logistical nightmare."
We need somewhere to run from; we need help moving it, a storage facility, and some notice
Councillor Mohammed Jamil, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and corporate governance at Peterborough City Council, said:
“Yes, the property is on the Asset Disposal Review, however, this is not the reason for the closure. A decision has not yet been made on whether or not the property will be sold."
“The council informed the parish council on Monday, 13 January that the building needed to close on health and safety grounds due to the poor condition of the building and toilet area, which are unusable for the current use."
“We are working on plans to relocate the Food Bank and a meeting is being held with the parish council on Wednesday, 29 January to discuss this further.”
It's going to be a logistical nightmare
Ms. Tierney set up the food hub in 2019 and now says they 'desperately need help.'
A GoFundMe to raise money for a new location has been set up.