BLACKPOOL SOUP KITCHENS FOOD PARCELS HELP AND ADVICE
Firstly
If you are a member of the public and have identified a rough sleeper in Blackpool, you can telephone (the council) direct on 01253 477765, or email HSAT@blackpool.gov.uk
Intro
With the economy in recession, the rise in cost of living and fuel and energy prices at their highest level for decades more and more people are relying on free food in Blackpool and around the UK. Families with mortgages could well be looking at paying more per month for energy than their mortgage payments this winter and the same goes for tenants. Solutions for feeding the community are required. Record numbers of people are seeking help from food banks and soup kitchens and there are now more services available locally than the last time we published a guide like this in 2019. In some areas special “energy banks” have been set up to help people keep the heat / lights on in their homes – more on this after the food, but first – how do we do something about it…
But no-one will listen to ME…
We all need to urge our local representatives to do something about this.
It’s Your civic duty to write a letter to your MP demanding that help be sought for people like you. It’s no good writing a comment on an online post they are tagged in – their rules state that letters received must be recorded for official purposes so if you send a letter you’ll get a response. The more people write letters the more the MP is urged to do something and act on your behalf.
That’s the correct democratic course of action and we can help you with that in our GUIDE to writing to your MP.
What about the council?
Blackpool Council do have means to help families in distress or in need of emergency housing due to sudden homelessness. (We’re currently working on our guide to homelessness in Blackpool which will also be available soon) Keep reading for more about the help available from our local council.
By supporting local independent publishers like us (The BPL Bible) you can help to build more accountability in your local authority by holding them to book when they don’t do what the people reasonably ask for.
Blackpool’s Local Food Banks and Soup Kitchens
Blackpool Food Bank
The Blackpool Food Bank is the local authority’s official partner for food collection and sorting. Unlike other food banks around the UK, It isn’t a turn up and collect a food parcel type service. The food is by referral only. They use partner services to distribute to the end users.
Their Facebook page states “We are an emergency food redistribution charity to over 70 organisations in the boroughs of Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre.
We supply edible surplus food to help those most in need meet in its communities. We collectively serve over 12,000 meals each week.
If you would like to donate to Blackpool Food Bank, please get in touch via e-mail on info@blackpoolfoodbank.co.uk and we will get back to you with the relevant information.
Registered Charity: 1153538
We would link you to the council’s own food partnership website (http://blackpoolfoodpartnership.org.uk/) but as of publishing this their website link is offline. So unless you call the council and ask them – You’ll have to keep reading the list.
Amazing Graze
(44 Bolton Street, South Shore) (FB) Email amazinggrazeblackpool@gmail.com
Holy Cross Parish Church
Central Drive, Blackpool Website
Soup Kitchen ( 6PM Saturdays)
St. Peter’s Church Lytham Road
Soup Kitchen Every Sunday at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, Lytham Road.
Contact: Audrey on 01253 875503
Helping Hearts Fylde Coast
Mobile Hot Food Service in the Town Centre on Thursday Evenings serving rough sleepers and anyone who approaches them as they are serving.
Street Angels (Blackpool Wyre and Fylde)
Monday Night Outreach (Bank Street Car Park 7-8pm ( still a Monday including Bank Holidays))
The Well at St. Mark’s Church
(Westcliffe Drive, Layton)
And on Sundays in St. Mark’s Hall
Subsidised or reduced price food
Community Grocery Blackpool
(Bispham Road, Bispham) (FB) Website Email blackpool@communitygrocery.org.uk
Subsidised / Reduced price shopping.
£4 for a “standard shop” typical example below
Extra items are available at subsidised prices. The photo below would have been £23 altogether.
Salvation Army (Raikes parade Blackpool)
The salvaton army distribute food parcels but you must contact them directly about it. We called them on 01253 626114
HIS provision CIC
(Central Drive Blackpool)
HIS community Food Pantry
HIS on Grange Park
(FB)
Wednesday: 11-12.30 – His Community Food Pantry. 1 Raikes Parade. Wednesday: 11.30- 1 – His on Central Drive. 272-274 Central Drive. Thursday: 9.30-11.30 – His mobile food pantry. Outside the Argosy Centre on Forshaw Ave, Grange Park.
Streetlife
Streetlife offer help and support to Young people who face homelessness. They do offer food service for the young people in their care. You can contact them for help with supporting kids and teens. You can call Streetlife on 01253 294477
Clothing kitchen items and other family items
Care and Share
This organisation occasionally has food for collection outside their address at Tarnside FY4 4RD on mereside.
They can also help with clothing – items for kids, kitchen and bathroom ware bedding and towels and much more.
Help with housing or homelessness
Blackpool Council Housing Options
Emergency Housing Number 01253 477760
The following is guidance from the housing options website
Emergency help
As you are aware, the government has imposed strict guidelines to protect the public during the arrival of COVId19. For this reason, we ask that you do not attend the office unless there is no alternative. Instead, where possible, please call us on 01253 477760 if you are homeless today. We can assess your homeless application over the telephone and we will ring you back if you need us to.
An emergency is if you:
- Have no where to live or need to leave your home immediately (for example, you are experiencing domestic violence or abuse)
In cases of violence against you we would advise you to go to the nearest police station.
Telephone opening times
- 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
- 1.00pm to 5.00pm Wednesday
- 9.00am to 4.30pm Friday
Alternatively you can e-mail us housing.options@blackpool.gov.uk
Outside of our opening hours we provide an out of hours service, for emergencies only, on telephone 01253 477600.
Office opening hours
If you do not have access to a telephone and are homeless today you can come to our offices on Chapel Street. This will be a limited services for people who are in urgent need (i.e. homeless that day) and have no access to phones.
If you are unable to access the telephone and in urgent need, our office opening hours are:
- 1.00pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday
Rough sleepers
If you are sleeping on the streets telephone Housing Option on 01253 477760. Only attend our office on Chapel Street if you do not have access to a telephone.
Housing Options will still undertake regular street outreach to identify new rough sleepers and safeguard those at risk due to the virus. Where ever possible we will try to accommodate rough sleepers.
More information on your rights
If you want more information about your housing rights and the council’s duties please visit Shelter’s website
For additional support, including access to food and emergency provision, please visit the Food Partnership website
If you are a member of the public and have identified a rough sleeper, you can telephone us direct on 01253 477765, or email us at HSAT@blackpool.gov.uk
Blackpool Community Homeless Project
Are a fundraising organisation who help to re-home homeless people. You can contact them for help or referral info on 01253 546492
HELP US
If you can help us to put another local service on this list – please email us at help@thebplbible.co.uk
Help with Energy bills
We’re still writing our guide on help with energy bills – You can find some advice on Martin Lewis’ site Money Saving Expert
What else?
Join our Facebook Group Blackpool Community Chat and post about getting some advice
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