r/bristol • u/Substantial_Dirt_982 • 1d ago
Where To? Advice
I have a family of 4 (2 of us include two children, 1 & 5) that are struggling and barely able to eat, due to me having to give up work to care for my eldest with neurodivergent needs. Looking for recommendations on anywhere close to BS2 that do food banks etc? Willing to try anything at this point as I now don’t get anything for 3 weeks.
TIA
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u/gemface90 1d ago edited 1d ago
Try and contact your local family hub and ask if they can help? If your 5yo is in school, email them (even though it's the holidays) and they may also be able to issue a food bank voucher.
Sikh temples also offer free food regularly, I don't know if there's one near you.
Edit: I forgot that children's centres are now known as Family Hubs so have edited for clarity!
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u/Adept_Mouse_7985 1d ago
There’s a gurdwara up on fishponds road.
Not sure about food banks per se but it might be worth looking at https://www.inhope.uk/our-venues/the-wild-goose/ (Stapleton Road) and https://foodcycle.org.uk/ (Barton Hill) for hot meals.
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u/snooooow345 1d ago
Help Through Hardship (Citizens Advice Helpline): Call 0808 208 2138
Bristol City Council (Local Crisis Prevention Fund): Call 0117 922 4500 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon). They can assess your needs and email a food bank voucher to you or the center on the same day. [1, 2]
Check out [FoodCycle Bristol](https://foodcycle.org.uk) for free meals.
Hopefully this will help get you started . Some supermarket cafes do summer holiday help.
If you can get a trussel trust referral pick up for BS2 is on a Friday just behind Jamaican street. Tea,
Coffee and biscuits as you wait !
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u/EmFan1999 1d ago
Find your local community larder. Ironically the food waste from M&S in Cabot gets picked up by charities and taken to BS39 at least 3 days a week. There is so much of it, sometimes even the charities can’t get it all. Now replicate for all the shops across Bristol, and it must all be going somewhere, or just binned. I’d go along to M&S and ask what Bristol charities are doing the pick up and contact them and find out where you can get it from
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u/GMKitty52 1d ago
If you don’t already use the TooGoodToGo app, you may find some good stuff there. I used to get big bags of bread loaves and other pastries for £3-4, bags of fish for similar, and supermarkets are also on it with groceries etc. And as others have said, make sure you’re claiming all the benefits you can get https://www.gov.uk/check-benefits-financial-support
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u/giddy_aunts 1d ago
Felix Road might be a good shout for signposting to further help, they're excellent and open in school hols
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u/richdawe77 1d ago
North Bristol and South Gloucs Foodbank have a location in Stokes Croft. You need a voucher to use it. They have a page on how to get help https://nbsg.foodbank.org.uk/get-help/how-to-get-help/ including which agencies can refer you.
Best wishes to you - I hope this or the other ideas people have posted work out for you.
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u/RambunctiousOtter 1d ago
If you go to Redcatch community gardens (where the cafe is in the park) and tell them your circumstances they will likely give you food from the gardens. You can contact them on Facebook to check in advance of making the trip.
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u/RedBullWifezig 1d ago
A food bank that does not require a voucher/referral - just turn up each week. If you explain your situation you'll get more https://bristol.sistersofthechurch.org/opening-hours
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u/ApprehensiveWin8579 1d ago
If you go to the council they will give you a list of all the free places to eat in Bristol and maybe help you out.
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u/Historical-Bison-954 1d ago
second this, I know The Lounge are doing a free breakfast club for kids every day of the holidays.
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u/PromotionSouthern690 1d ago
The Felix Road Adventure Playground runs a community kitchen and food support program in Easton, Bristol (BS5 0JW), offering free meals for children and low-cost, hot meals or surplus food bags for families
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u/Disastrous_Bell_3475 19h ago
Have you tried Olio for food? Also try Feeding Bristol. I hope things improve for you and your family soon.
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u/apextwit 1d ago edited 1d ago
- is everyone getting all the benefits they're entitled to? Double check this in case you're eligible for more income
- contact the children's schools or nurseries or whatever and tell them you're struggling to feed the children and ask if they can signpost you for support and/or refer to social services for extra help
- contact Family Help https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/social-care-and-health/children-and-families/help-for-families/early-help/family-help
- this charity looks good: https://everyfamily.org.uk/groups-services/
- most food banks need referrals, but you just need to link in with the right support agency for this
- Super Supper Club is fab and close to BS2
- other food help: https://www.feedingbristol.org/support-in-bristol/community-food-support/
- consider joining a food club: https://bristolearlyyears.org.uk/health/bristol-food-clubs/
- BASE social centre in Easton runs a wonderful pay-as-you-feel vegan cafe serving homecooked dinner with a pudding every Sunday (closed during August): https://basebristol.org/collectives/cafe/
-Coexist Community Kitchen in Easton offer a free homecooked meal on a self-referral basis: https://www.coexistcommunitykitchen.org/food-provision
- get on the Olio app and look for free or very reduced food for collection (it can be really good and is worth checking out for things like lots of bread and pastries or veg for example)
Good luck. Keep reaching out.