The work of the volunteers who run Brightlingsea Foodbank was officially recognised at a ceremony attended by the Lord Lieutenant of Essex.
The local organisation is a subsidiary of the Colchester Foodbank, which was awarded a King’s Award for Voluntary Service in November.
On Friday, April 12, the Lord Lieutenant Jennifer Tolhurst met volunteers from the 11 foodbanks in the Colchester network at the Tollgate Centre and presented them with a KAVS crystal and certificate from King Charles. Each volunteer received a KAVS emblem pin and certificate.
In a statement, the foodbank said: “Receiving the King’s Award for Voluntary Service is a lifelong honour, and we are incredibly proud of our volunteers for their unwavering dedication and commitment to Colchester Foodbank. Their tireless efforts have left a lasting impact, and we are grateful for their invaluable contributions.”
The awards, originally created by Queen Elizabeth in 2002, are given to volunteer groups to recognise exceptional service within their communities and are considered to be the equivalent of an MBE for voluntary organisations.
• In the first three months of 2024 Brightlingsea Foodbank has handed out a third more food parcels than it did in the same period last year.
“This is not a statistic we are proud of,” said organiser Bob Walsh. “Our ultimate goal is that food poverty in this country should be eliminated and our parent organisation, the Trussell Trust, are working hard to pressurise the government to ensure that everyone can afford the essentials and no one needs to use a food bank.”
The foodbank is open on Wednesdays at the Parish Hall in Victoria Place between 10am and 12.30pm. Anyone needing support can call 07881 703673 or 01206 303902 or just go along on the day.
There are collection baskets for donations in the town’s Tesco, Spar and the Co-op stores. Donations can also be dropped off at the Parish Hall on Wednesday mornings or at 42 Planton Way.
