Councillor visits Andover Food Bank to see grant funding in action
Millway Ward Councillor Zilliah Brooks visited Andover Food Bank on Wednesday, 2 April to see firsthand how a £1,000 Councillor Community Grant has been used to provide protein-rich foods for local families in need. The funding has helped the food bank purchase essential items such as tinned meat and fish, which are often in short supply.
During the visit, Cllr Brooks met with volunteers, learned more about the food bank’s daily operations, and saw how the grant has directly improved the nutritional value of emergency food parcels. She praised the organisation’s efforts, stating: “Food banks are a crucial safety net for many people in our community. I am happy to support Andover Food Bank, which works tirelessly to ensure people have access to nutritional food.”
“It was wonderful to visit the Food Bank today and see how the Councillor Community Grant has been put to such good work, providing much needed protein-rich foods, making a real difference to those supported by the charity.”
Annie Mihell, Secretary of Andover Food Bank, explained how the funding has been put to good use; “We are very grateful for the generous grant. We are always looking for ways to improve the support we offer, and this grant has allowed us to increase the protein content of our emergency food boxes.
“Protein-rich foods, like tinned meat and fish, are essential but often the hardest to source through donations. With this funding, we’ve been able to ensure people have access to more balanced and nutritious meals.”
Andover Food Bank has been serving the community since 2006, operating with the support of over 60 volunteers. In 2024, it provided food parcels to over 7,000 people—a figure that, reassuringly, had decreased by 4% from the previous year. The charity’s long-term goal, in partnership with the Trussell Trust, is to reduce the need for food banks altogether by helping individuals transition to more sustainable support, such as the Andover Pantry.
Beyond emergency food parcels, the food bank continues to expand its services to meet community needs. Boxes are now available with market vouchers for fresh produce, fresh eggs donated by a local supplier, and weekly fresh bread donated from Co-Op. They also provide ‘first kitchen’ kits containing essential cooking equipment for those moving into new homes, as well as adapted food parcels for people with limited cooking facilities.
With a new manager set to join the team soon, Andover Food Bank remains committed to supporting vulnerable residents across the borough. They work closely with social workers, midwives, and other agencies, offering collection points across Andover and making twice-weekly deliveries to ensure no one is left without support.
For more information on Andover Food Bank and how to support their work, visit www.andover.foodbank.org.uk.