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NEW FOREST BASICS BANK the History..........…
New Forest Basics Bank was set up in 2004 by "Churches Together" in the Lymington district to help anyone, by providing those who lack the means to feed themselves or their family with food for up to 5 days pending other longer term arrangements. Clients requiring such help may be identified by any of the registered referral bodies including, for example, Social Services, Citizens Advice Bureau, local housing associations, job centres, drugs and alcohol advisory services and Women's Refuges. These bodies may give food vouchers to those in need, and the individuals concerned can exchange these at the Basics Bank for food parcels. Basics Bank operates in association with and the support of Churches Together, Lymington & Pennington and as an outreach facility within the Open Door based at High Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9AG. It is a fully Constituted organisation with its own separate audited accounts.
Our Mission Statement, Aims & Objectives........…
New Forest Basics Bank exists to support and help individuals and families in need by providing emergency free food and other essentials.
The New Forest Basics Bank covers a wide area supplying food, household and hygiene items to local people in need and in dire emergency situations. It is a completely non discriminatory, not for profit organisation, managed by volunteers, local organisation and it relies totally on non perishable donations via a network of Churches, the public and other independent organisations.
User Groups, Clients & Beneficiaries we help.............…
The New Forest Basics Bank recognises the particular target groups in the area to be: Single parents, People over 50, Children under 18, People on low incomes and in debt (poverty and housing), people isolated and socially excluded, people with ill health and their carers, those people who have been made redundant, those waiting benefits, those with mental health and addiction issues, the homeless and those of no fixed abode, and the local New Forest residents who find themselves in unfamiliar circumstances.
The alternatives available..........…
At present, there is no service like the New Forest Basics Bank in this area who supply food and initial help, based on one location and helping those in dire need in an emergency situation together with further access to a range of support services. It aims to co-ordinate its work with the Open Door and other community projects; a network that can be expanded on and enhanced to include other agencies/partners where and when the need arises.
Our wonderful Volunteers, Management & Committee.......…
Basics Bank is fortunate to have over 30 active volunteers in place who assist and support the service where possible. The management and committee are made up of volunteers. Their input, work, experience and dedication is highly recognised and valued; they provide a brilliant third sector service to the community as a whole. We have Volunteer procedures complete with application forms, Volunteer Guidelines, ongoing guidance, support and training and a managing Coordinator. New Forest Basics Bank is a fully Constituted organisation (copy available on request). The Management Committee consists of a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer; representatives of Churches Together, Open Door, Lymington URC and some key Partner organisations where appropriate.
So.......why is the New Forest Basics Bank located at the Lymington URC?
The New Forest Basics Bank operates in association with the support of Churches Together, Lymington & Pennington and as a community outreach facility within the Open Door based at High Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9AG. This will ensure a central, easy accessible continuation of service to those in need. It will also offer, all on one convenient site, signposting to additional avenues of support to clients and service users of the Basics Bank. The Open Door Project Lymington URC church hall in the main high street did provide a convenient centre for the Basics Bank operations until February 2008. This hall was demolished and had major refurbishment and rebuilding works. Basics Bank was operating from temporary accommodation at another Lymington church, but this arrangement had to end. An appeal was launched to raise funds to relocate, accommodate and build a new separate Basics Bank distribution centre to be located in a building behind the Lymington URC hall and be included in the overall Open Door Project. The new Basics Bank building respects client confidentiality at a particularly difficult time in their lives. However, Basics Bank has the total backup and support of the Lymington URC, the Open Door, all the key Partners and Agencies to which their clients can be sign posted for further advice, guidance and a listening ear, benefiting from a fully integrated community service.
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