VOLUNTEERS at a local foodbank described as a ‘lifeline’ for hundreds of residents are desperately trying to raise £250,000 by the end of the month before they are forced out of their current building.
Stairfoot Foodbank has been running out of Ebenezer Wesleyan Reform Church, on Hunningley Close, for the last five years.
They help between 60 and 130 families every week with their food parcels but co-ordinator Dawn Whiteley admits they have been left ‘devastated’ after they were informed the building must be vacated by April 28 ahead of an auction.
Dawn says they have two options - either find new premises of which there are none suitable locally, or raise the £250,000 needed to purchase the church.
She told the Chronicle: “The church decided that they’re going to sell the building because there weren’t enough people in congregation.
“Unfortunately that means the foodbank has to move.
“One week it could be quiet where we’ve got 60 people coming, and then it could be up to 120 or 130 that we help.
“It’s a lot of people.
“People are under the impression that it’s those who are on the dole and it’s not - it’s working families.
“It’s families where both parents are working but at the end of the month they just haven’t got any money left.
“It can be a real lifeline.
“I had someone in last week who hadn’t eaten for three days and he hadn’t told anyone anything.”
Dawn says they are trying to find a new venue but to no avail.
But even if they are forced to leave the church at the end of this month, they will not stop supporting local people.
Dawn added: “It is a lot of money that we need to raise but there just isn’t another building in Stairfoot that we can use.
“There’s nothing.
“Another church has approached me but they’re from Leeds - they say that this shouldn’t be happening.
“I have an interested party that’s helping raise the money we need.
“The church will stay open as a house of worship - so it wouldn’t just be the foodbank, it would be the whole community that would be being supported.
“I’m there every day - Monday to Friday.
“We’ve been given until April 28.
“We won’t cease trading - that’s not going to happen.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do but we won’t stop.
“If we get to the worst case scenario then we’ll just have to work out of our vans.”
Dawn says that even if she stops trading for one month, she will lose her suppliers which will ultimately mean Barnsley residents will lose out.
And it’s not just people the foodbank helps, they are also offering support to anyone with pets.
“There’s no reason for animals to suffer as well,” she added.
“Pets at Home supply us with pet food once a fortnight.
“So we’re not just supporting people, we’re supporting animals as well.
“If we do stop and prolong it for a month or so I would lose my main suppliers.
“I can’t afford to lose Marks and Spencer, Asda, Morrisons, Lidl and Greggs.
“We won’t let it happen.”
A spokesperson for the church said: “Ebenezer Wesleyan Reform Church has been pleased to serve the community in providing accommodation to Stairfoot Foodbank for the last five years making no charge while incurring significant costs in utilities and maintenance to ensure supplies are secure and volunteers are comfortable.
“Unfortunately, due to decreasing numbers the church has made the difficult decision to close.
“The trustees of the church and the Wesleyan Reform Union have an obligation to follow the requirements of charity law when selling a property where a church has closed but are prepared to delay the sale for a period to allow interested parties to attempt to raise the necessary funding to purchase the property, thereby securing the accommodation for the Stairfoot Foodbank.”
A link to the fundraiser can be found on the Barnsley Chronicle website.
