The New Forest Basics Bank (NFBB) is an independent food bank that provides parcels containing food and essentials to households in crisis in the south of the New Forest (Hampshire). NFBB is a registered charity and has been active since 2004. We have between 250 and 300 active volunteers.
NFBB is very grateful for the broad support received from a wide range of businesses, community groups, churches, agencies, other charities and many residents in our community. Our Food Bank welcomes collaborations, food drive events, donation drives and any other ideas you may have to raise awareness and/or collect food or monetary donations.
NFBB gratefully receives any food (in date please), drinks (non-alcoholic), toiletries, cleaning products, pet food, nappies and household essentials. Regrettably, we cannot receive furniture, white goods, clothes & shoes, bedding, books & toys, medications etc. If in doubt, please contact us first.
All households in crisis are referred to NFBB by external agencies such as Citizens Advice, GP surgeries, schools, churches etc. We provide customised food parcels which will give households enough supplies for 3 meals a day for 7 days. We are based in a large rural area with limited public transport links; hence our volunteer drivers deliver about 80% of our parcels.
NFBB also supports several additional initiatives:
• Four community larders are run weekly in New Milton, Pennington, Ashley and Bransgore in collaboration with FareShare and local volunteers.
• We provide and deliver food for School breakfast Clubs, After School Clubs and Youth Clubs.
• Local Warm Hubs are provided with ingredients to help them serve meals to those in need.
• We partner with the Food Rescue Kitchen 'feed the need' to collect surplus food from 5 to 7 supermarkets seven nights a week.
• Customised parcels including additional essentials (tin openers, cutlery, hats, sleeping bags etc.) for those who are homeless, couch surfing, or live in shelters, tents or cars.