How to get help

The most important step is to get a foodbank voucher.

This leaflet tells you who are the agencies with whom we work. 

This is because, in order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation, we work with local agencies. If they feel you are struggling to put food on the table, they will issue you with a foodbank voucher. The local agency can also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis. Agencies we work with include: Brecon Advice Centre, housing support officers, some schools and children’s services, social services and some local charities.  The Citizens Advice national helpline can also issue vouchers for our Foodbank.  Here is a full list of our Referral Agencies.

1. Contact the the referral agency.

They will discuss your situation and take the details to refer you for a foodbank voucher where appropriate.

2. They will issue you with a foodbank e-voucher.

This will come directly to us, and you will be given the number of the voucher, which you will need when you come to the Foodbank.

You can find our opening times here.  Please note that Brecon Foodbank is in the St. John’s Centre, which is on the corner of Pendre Close and Pendre, opposite the car park for the cathedral.  It is not where the red pin is on the Google map on our home page!  If you come by car, please be aware that if you use the cathedral car park you must pay.  There are a few spaces available outside the Centre itself, or you can park on the road beyond Priory School.

Hay Foodbank is in the at the far end of the old Pavilion which is now the Council Offices, at the sports ground in Brecon Road.

When you arrive, someone will ask for your name and/or voucher number then you’ll be offered a drink and our trained volunteers will go through the list of what is in a parcel with you.  They will discuss any dietary needs or preferences you may have.  Pet foods are usually also available, and also baby toiletries and nappies and a few household products.  You will then need to wait while your parcel is packed.  During this time you can select any toiletries you may need from our Toiletry Cupboard (Brecon) or table (Hay), and if you need baby food you will be able to select some. There is often a ‘help yourself’ trolley or table where you can take (at your own risk) items we have been given that are not in a standard parcel, plus items that are a little past their ‘Best Before’ date.  In Brecon, there is also a Community Fridge at the centre that you may use.

We’ll also help to support you in any other ways that we can, and we often have support workers at our session who can help you with the problems that underlie your need to use us.  Our aim is to provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis.

3. If you cannot speak to an agency, get in touch with us.

If you call or email our foodbank we can talk through your situation and put you in touch with a relevant local agency.  Please note that the phone is only monitored during our opening hours, but the email is checked each day.

If you have any further questions our FAQ’s page may help, or feel free to send us an email, or give us a call during our opening hours.

 

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