More working people turning to Newton Abbot food bank as winter pressures grow

A Newton Abbot food bank supporting people across Teignbridge says demand remains consistently high as the cost-of-living pressures continue into winter.

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THAT (Teignbridge Homeless Action Today), an independent charity founded in 2011, operates from premises it secured more than ten years ago near the Penn Inn flyover.

The organisation sorts donations, prepares food parcels and provides a range of practical help for people in short-term crisis.

Hands-on leadership and daily operation

A board of five trustees run the charity, including trustee Rob North, who has been involved for three and a half years, and said the trustees remain closely involved in day-to-day decisions.

“We’re very involved,” he said. “Decisions are made with the benefit of experience of what’s going on.”

Although THAT relies heavily on volunteers, it has one paid member of staff: food bank manager Joe Downes.

Joe relocated to Devon earlier this year and previously worked at a Trussell Trust food bank in West Sussex.

“I do anything that needs doing,” he said. “I facilitate the operation and liaise with referral agencies.”

He added that trustees provide “really good support”, and emphasised that the charity is fully independent.

Modernisation and volunteer support

The food bank has been modernised over the past three years and now offers more types of support than when it first started, with around 25-30 volunteers working across the week.

Joe explained how many volunteers are retired, and choose to work one day a week.

“It works well,” he said. “It means volunteers form small teams and clients don’t become overly reliant on one person.”

Help across the county

THAT currently gives out around 30 food parcels a week, supporting roughly 60-70 people.

Most clients live within a few miles of Newton Abbot, but the charity also helps people in the nearby Dartmoor towns of Ashburton and Bovey Tracey.

A delivery service was set up during Covid to support those who could not make it to the in-person premises.

After high demand, it has been kept on permanently and is now one of the charity’s main sources of support.

ABOVE: External view of THAT food bank (Image: Jamie Townsend)

Homeless clients ‘a smaller proportion’

Homeless clients are still supported, and although the charity was set up to support homeless people, Rob said “they now make up a smaller proportion of our clients.”

He added: “We’re seeing more working people. People who are employed but on part-time hours, or not earning enough. We’ve also seen a number of clients on long-term sick leave.”

Clients are mostly referred by Citizens Advice and housing associations. “They know us well and they don’t refer unless they are sure the person needs help,” Joe said.

THAT also allows occasional walk-ins and for people to self-refer the first time they seek help. “You can tell when someone is really in need of our assistance, it takes serious courage to reach out,” he said.

ABOVE: THAT's downstairs stock room (Image: Jamie Townsend)

How the support works

On average, people will use the bank 3-4 times before getting back on their feet and no longer requiring its services.

“We do have some clients who struggle to leave a cycle of crisis, but most only require us a handful of times and we help signpost them to routes to help themselves” Joe said.

The charity provides food parcels lasting 7-10 days, with a mix of non-perishables, fresh and frozen goods.

Hygiene packs, cleaning packs, small household items and limited gas and electricity top-ups are also available.

ABOVE: THAT don't just provide food but hygeine and baby products also (Image: Jamie Townsend)

Where food and funding are sourced

Food comes from public donations, supermarket schemes, rescued produce and regular contributions from organisations such as Rotary groups.

Financial support comes from public donations, local businesses, supermarkets, councils and occasional grant funds.

Rob said the charity must stay alert. “We’re getting more, but we’re spending more,” he said. THAT keeps a six-month reserve but “cannot be complacent”.

ABOVE: Fresh produce for food parcels (Image: Jamie Townsend)

Feeling the winter pinch

Christmas is always one of the busiest periods of the year.

All parcels include seasonal items such as advent calendars and Christmas puddings, quite a lot of which is donated by local schools and churches through harvest and festive collections.

The food bank remains open throughout December, closing only on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

“We’re conscious people need more support at this time of year,” Joe said. “It can be a struggle to get support when other places around are shut.”

ABOVE: A selection of festive products available at the food bank (Image: Jamie Townsend)

What the future holds

THAT is always actively seeking more volunteers, including drivers and people able to help at occasional events.

“There’s always a need for more people,” Rob said. “We can never have enough volunteers.”

The charity is exploring future plans, including a social supermarket at a new premises on the Buckland estate.

Rob said this work reflects the commitment of the team. “Everyone believes in what we’re doing,” he said. “People go the extra mile.”