About Us

Our aim is to provide three days emergency food aid for people in crisis who have been identifed and referred by agencies working in the Community.

Our aim

To provide a listening ear for service users where appropriate.

We support people through a referral system with local agency partners, and when donations are available we are able to provide for people with special dietary needs. We also tailor parcels for each family or person we provide for to make sure that it suits their needs as best we can. The food parcels are designed to last for three days.

Our philosophy

Because of the rising costs of food and fuel, combined with static income, high unemployment, and changes to benefits, there is an increasing number of people in the Carlisle district who are going without food. We are not a free supermarket - as someone once said, we are here to give a hand up, not a handout.

Our history

Throughout 2011 David Pitkeathly of the Church of Scotland and Rachael Rodway of Carlisle One World Centre had been noticing an increased use of drop in facilities and the food voucher scheme and met with other agencies, with a view to setting up a Carlisle Foodbank. As the Salvation Army in Carlisle had been distributing parcels for 25 years and at their invitation it was decided to build on their work and from their buildings. Further agencies joined, and the Foodbank went live in April 2012

Carlisle Foodbank is run by a Board of Trustees who have a range of different backgrounds and are interdenominational. There is a parttime manager and many volunteers from across the area. We continue to rely on donations of time, money and food, and look to work together with local agencies, schools, and businesses to support people in crisis.

Our vision

When Carlisle Foodbank started it was with the traditional view of providing emergency long-life food for referred individuals and families who were in short term crisis. Since 2012 new legislation and beneft rules have highlighted that problems are more deep rooted and of a longer duration.

If you wish to Partner with Carlisle Foodbank on any of the proposed initiatives please email us hello@carlislefoodbank.org.uk

Our Partners