Hunger Heroes: How Chichester District Food Bank Is Responding to Rising Need

From city streets to rural villages, Chichester District Food Bank supports thousands of people facing crisis each year. CEO Sarah Adams and Warehouse Supervisor Marie Wallace share how the food bank has grown, the challenges they face, and how Bankuet helps ensure families don’t go hungry.

From seven churches to a district-wide lifeline

Chichester District Food Bank was founded in 2012, emerging from a collaboration between seven local churches. Initially serving people in Chichester city centre, the team soon realised the need stretched much further.

“When a gentleman walked nine miles from Selsey to reach us to get a food parcel, it became clear we had to expand,” explains Sarah Adams, CEO. “That’s when we opened centres in Selsey, and later in Midhurst and Petworth, north of the Downs.”

Today, the food bank supports both urban and rural poverty across the district. “We now feed around 6,200 people each year with emergency food parcels, plus another 3,000 children through our school holiday provision,” Sarah says.

Meet the team behind the scenes

Sarah joined the food bank five years ago, starting in the warehouse, before moving into operations and then into the CEO role. “I absolutely love working here,” she says. “I have a total passion for it. I knew I could make a real difference in my community.”

Marie Wallace, Warehouse Supervisor, joined in 2022 after leaving the commercial sector. “I wanted to give something back,” Marie says. “I can’t imagine not being able to feed my family. It breaks my heart, and this felt like a practical way to help.”

Who the food bank supports today

Despite common assumptions, the people accessing the food bank are not just those without work.  “We’re seeing a wide range of people coming through our doors,” Sarah explains. “More and more, they’re in work — often families with two or three children, or blended families. Some are working multiple jobs and still can’t afford to feed their families.”

The food bank is also supporting growing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers, requiring culturally appropriate food parcels and specialist dietary options.

“If someone is working two or three jobs and still can’t afford food,” Sarah adds, “there’s clearly something wrong with the system.”

Rising demand, tightening supplies

Demand has grown dramatically in recent years. “Before COVID, we supported just over 3,000 people a year,” Sarah says. “That doubled during lockdown, and two years ago peaked at 7,200. Now, demand remains high at around 6,200 people annually, plus holiday provision for thousands of children.”

Donations, however, have not kept pace. “We track everything by weight,” Sarah explains. “Right now, we have around eight tonnes of food, which is only about three weeks’ supply. Ideally, we’d hold six weeks, so we know we can support everyone who comes through our doors.”

How Bankuet helps fill the gaps

Before working with Bankuet, sourcing food was labour-intensive. “I used to spend entire weekends driving a van between supermarkets, collecting whatever food I could carry,” Sarah recalls. “It took huge amounts of time.”

Bankuet changed that. “Now we receive wholesale deliveries, with consistent dates and clearly categorised stock that can go straight onto our shelves,” she says. “It’s made an enormous difference — especially for our Kids Lunch Packs.”

From the warehouse perspective, Marie agrees. “We no longer have to date-sort or category-sort everything. That saves volunteers so much time. Deliveries are reliable and always on time.”

What’s needed (and what’s not)

Like many food banks, Chichester receives plenty of certain items. “We’re incredibly grateful for donations of pasta, cereal, baked beans, and tea,” Marie says. “But people often forget that if you can’t afford food, you probably can’t afford toiletries or toilet paper either.”

Special dietary items — gluten-free, vegan, and culturally appropriate foods — are also in high demand.

Looking at the last six months, the food bank’s most requested Bankuet items were hot chocolate, UHT milk, jam, sponge puddings, and cereal bars.

“Four of those go into our Kids Lunch Packs,” Sarah explains. “We currently prepare around 950 packs every school holiday. Sponge puddings are harder to come by through donations, but they’re a small treat that makes a real difference.”

A food bank that’s about more than food

In recent years, the team also faced the challenge of outgrowing their premises. “It took four years to secure this new building,” Sarah says. “But it’s transformed how we work. We’re now much more than just food — our aim is to help people out of crisis, not just through it.”

Why ongoing support matters

Donations to food banks are often seasonal, dipping in spring and early summer. “Regular donations through Bankuet are vital,” Sarah explains. “They help us plan ahead and ensure we can feed people today and tomorrow, without constantly worrying about whether we’ll run out.”

How you can help

One of the easiest ways to support Chichester District Food Bank is by donating through Bankuet. Your donation is turned directly into the food and essentials the food bank needs most — exactly when they need them.

“Bankuet has been a lifeline for us,” Sarah says. “Without our donors, we simply wouldn’t have been able to support the thousands of people who’ve needed us over the last few years. Thank you.”