The Smethwick Foodbank is currently supporting around 250 households a week, many of whom are either the most vulnerable in our community or are newly unemployed and navigating the benefits system for the first time. All are struggling to feed their families.

Lots of people in Bearwood, Smethwick have been starting to organisation mutual support groups on their street and collections for Smethwick Foodbank. It seems to be a good way to galvanise people, and doing it street by street means that it’s not a big task over a big area. It’s also a way to publicise how people on your street can access support from the Foodbank if you need it.

We explain below how it’s been organised and the simple resources we’ve used so, if you want to, you can get something going too. If you prefer to donate without involving your whole road that’s fine! Just drop off non-perishable donations to Global Foods on Abbey Road, ASDA Cape Hill or TESCO West Brom, or call in at Holy Trinity Church on Church Hill Street, Smethwick on a Wednesday 10am-3pm. As always, please follow strict social distancing guidelines to keep you and the Foodbank staff safe. To donate financially online: Local Giving Page

IF YOU NEED HELP, please email the Foodbank at emergency@smethwickcan.org or phone on 0121 517 0495 on Tuesdays or Fridays 10am-2pm.

PART 1 - organise on your street.

What has made it really easy has been the creation of Covid-19 street whatsapp groups - to organise support/shopping for each other if needed, and of course to organise the collections. Skip to part 2 if you’ve already done this or don’t want to do this!

Many local people have joined the Bearwood Covid-19 Mutual Aid Facebook Group. See if people from your specific area/groups of streets are on there, or create one. Once you’re on it, connect with people on your street and create a Whatsapp group, asking people to share with their neighbours (this is great because it means that people who aren’t on Facebook can be connected too). It’s a good idea to contact heather_chinner@sandwell.gov.uk at Sandwell Council to be registered as a street contact - so if the council hear of someone who needs support on your road, you can organise through the Whatsapp group and see who’s available to help.

PART 2 - organise to support the Foodbank.

You need to find a few people on your road who have a printer, or perhaps a local post office/newsagent with a photocopier. In Bearwood we’ve used these flyers created by local lovely lady Annie Hulbert. Create your own or download this one for yourself and change as appropriate - make sure you decide how frequently you would like to do a food pick up so you only have to deliver flyers once. See if you can get a few people to help you deliver the leaflets.

And then, generally, one person from the road has offered to pick up the bags of food in their car, with a couple of people helping by picking up from doorsteps as the car is driven along.

It is best for the Foodbank staff if people can drop off collections on a Wednesday between 10am and 3pm. This is because access to the Foodbank for a food parcel is on a Tuesday and Friday and it’s really important that the staff focus on people who need them, and maintain good social distancing.

Good luck, and here’s some inspiration from a Park Road, Bearwood organiser - look at that boot full!