St Ives Foodbank was set up in 2013 and operates as an independent foodbank (i.e. not part of the Trussell Trust network), although we follow Trussell Trust principles. It is operated by All Saints Parish Church St. Ives, which is an Anglican Church (Church of England) and a Registered Charity.

The foodbank exists to help those who find themselves in a financial emergency where they are unable to afford to buy food for themselves.

All food parcels are distributed by delivery, and we do not expect clients to come to us to pick up their food parcels, however special arrangements for collection can be made on an individual basis if required.

We operate on a referral basis, where professional agencies request food parcels from us for their clients by means of an email voucher. We also accept self-referrals from clients.

The foodbank serves everyone in crisis regardless of faith or belief. It is important to be passionate about inclusion and being non-judgemental is central to the ethos of the foodbank. It is underpinned by the belief that everyone has the right to food, dignity, skills, a chance to work and hope for the future. We provide enough basics to provide a nutritionally balanced diet for a minimum of three days. The packages are designed for emergencies and contain a small range of ‘must haves’ for those who could not get by without.

The church is also open on a Tuesday and Friday morning where we run a small community cafe. This is free for anyone to attend for a warm drink, cake or biscuit and a chat. On the second Tuesday of each month we welcome an advisor from HDC’s Resident Advice and Information Team, and on the third Tuesday of each month we welcome an advisor from P3 Charity. There is no need to book these sessions, simply turn up for free advice.