The Manna affordable food boxes scheme which launched last year has now extended so local people can collect boxes from All Saints in Sawley.
The scheme has been running out of St John’s Church Long Eaton since November 2020. From 10th May 2021, All Saints Church Hall, Tamworth Road, Sawley NG10 3AT will provide a second pick-up point.
Families and individuals can pay £6 a week to receive an affordable Manna Food Box. Every week the boxes include fresh fruit and vegetables, a dairy or protein product, tins and dried goods, and usually one or two treats with a total box value of up to £30.
Rev Elaine Jones, curate of Sawley Parish Church, said "The continued impact of coronavirus means that some people are struggling to make ends meet. We’re really pleased that with the success of the scheme at St John’s we can now extend it to make the boxes available in Sawley too. If people are on reduced incomes, they can know that for this relatively small amount of £6 they will receive a box of wholesome foodstuffs, and that can free them up to manage other bills."
The name ‘manna’ comes from the Bible story of God providing food called manna for His people as they travelled through the desert.
The scheme coordinators include Carl McCarthy, the director of Hope Long Eaton, Rev. Elaine Jones, curate of All Saints and St Mary’s Sawley, and Rev. Sam Tredwell, vicar of St. John’s Long Eaton. They buy some of the food from FareShare, an organisation which distributes surplus food to charities. They also buy from local wholesalers and receive donations from local supermarkets. The scheme is led by Hope Long Eaton, a Christian ethos registered charity with a community focus.
Volunteers help to pack the boxes and distribute them in line with current social distancing restrictions. The scheme is recruiting volunteers from local churches.
Distribution at All Saints, Sawley will take place every Monday afternoon from 4:00-5:00pm. There is also distribution from St John’s Church, Canal Street, Long Eaton every Monday from 3:00-4:15pm.
Carl McCarthy said: "This scheme is open to anyone. All you need to do is sign up and pay the weekly amount"
People can sign up online or simply go along to St John’s or All Saints churches at the times listed above or to Hope Long Eaton’s community outreach at Petersham Hall, Grasmere Road on Monday from 9am–11am to collect a form and find out more.
Elaine said: "It matters when people are hungry, when they’re worried about how they’re going to feed their children."
Further information
- Information about Manna Food Boxes, including how to sign up, is at www.mannafoodboxes.com. The email address is mannafoodboxes@gmail.com There is also a Manna food boxes Facebook page you can find at @Mannafoodboxes
- Information about Hope Long Eaton is on Facebook at @HopeLongEaton
- Information about FareShare is at www.fareshare.org.uk