Rockwell Green Best Before Food Store charity in plea for new volunteers

The Best Before Food Store in Rockwell Green is appealing for fresh volunteers in their fight against food poverty.

The Rockwell Green food charity was set up in September 2022 by Paula Appleby, a retired NHS worker and Wellington resident. Paula is now the project manager of the food charity.

The group is supported by local churches who provide financial backing and operate a covering directorship. It is part of a network of pantries stretching from Bridgwater to Chard.

Every Tuesday the Best Before Food Store runs a pop up shop out of the Well Christian Centre in Rockwell Green. Members pay a weekly fee of £4 in return for a food hamper worth around £20.

The food items come from the charity FareShare, which distributes surplus food around the country to save it from being dumped in landfill.

The weekly membership fee, and a donation bucket in Asda Wellington, helps the Food Store to pay for the cost of FareShare membership, which costs them £1900 a year.

The Best Before Food Store currently receive around 100kg of food each week from FareShare, but they say that doesn't meet demand. The local charity is hoping to increase the volume of their weekly deliveries - but this will come at a cost.

The Food Store also provides a space for socialising. It has an area for refreshments and chatting, holds weekly events, and a kid's room for crafts and games.

In addition the group hold weekly events, including a cooking demonstration on the first Tuesday of the month. Last week's event involved blind taste testing of crisps, with the household names going up against their non brand competitors. Reportedly the most expensive crisps came out bottom of the test.

But the charity has reached capacity and there is now a waiting list to become a full member and access all its services. Project Manager Paula Appleby has appealed for more volunteers to join the group.

"We're a volunteer heavy organisation, each week we have a dozen volunteers plus myself. I'd love to hear from anybody that wants to volunteer. We have lost 2 or 3 volunteers recently, and I will have difficulty covering all the different roles when it comes to holiday season."

If you would like to get in touch with Paula to make an inquiry about the food service or volunteering she can be contacted by email here. Alternatively you can turn up to the Well Christian Centre in Rockwell Green on Tuesdays between 3pm and 5pm.