As demand rises and donations fall, volunteers at the Chipping Barnet Foodbank work tirelessly to keep their community fed, Leïla Davaud spent a day with the team to witness the compassion and strain behind the food parcels

A man unloading containers of food from the boot of a car — Unloading supplies at Chipping Barnet Foodbank – (Credit – Leïla Davaud)

St Peter’s Parish Centre hums like a beehive. Volunteers from the Chipping Barnet Foodbank rush in and out of the building, arms full of donations. The day’s food distribution won’t start for another two hours, yet everyone has a job to do.

“Today’s a big day,” says Bob Bevil, advocacy and campaign lead of the charity.“We’ve had hundreds of kilos of donations from schools and churches this morning, the biggest harvest we’ve seen in a while.” In the makeshift “warehouse,” as the volunteers affectionately call their storage garage, he grins. “It’s a harvest moon tonight maybe it’s a sign better days are coming.”

Down by the parish hall, Victoria Miller, manager of the foodbank, moves between tables, quietly directing the setup. “We’re incredibly thankful to all the schools and churches taking part in the harvest festival,” she says. “We’ve been struggling to fill the parcels lately, to the point where we’ve had to buy food ourselves at an average cost of about £4,000 a month. We simply don’t have the funding to sustain that. The coming year is going to be one of the hardest yet.”

Ed Dolling, member of the trustee board adds: “We’re affiliated with the Trussell Trust but it’s important to point out that we’re not funded by them. They occasionally make grants available and provide us with systems and data that help improve our service, but financially we’re on our own. We’re in need of funding now more than ever.” He issues a clear message to Barnet Council: “Our funding is shrinking while more people are coming through our doors each week. Help us, please.”

The doors open and people from all origins and age walk through. Among those who will benefit from today’s harvest is Alex, 23, who visits the foodbank every few months with his family. “It’s a safe place here,” he says while reaching for a loaf of bread. “We know we are welcome and can get help when we need it. It is reassuring.”

Examining fresh fruits delivered a few moments before, another beneficiary confides: “I try to delay my visits, but sometimes I can’t. I wish I didn’t need it but the reality is that if I want vegetables or fruits, superstores are out of the question. It’s simply too expensive.”

Last year alone, the Chipping Barnet Foodbank distributed 7,753 food parcels and now supports around 140 people each week. Bob Bevil details: “Where does the food go? Mainly Barnet Vale, East Barnet, Underhill and surrounding areas. In the last six months, we’ve recorded that people from 47 different wards [including in Enfield and Harrow] have received our parcels, which is quite surprising.”

Next to him, Ed lowers his voice. “Barnet looks rich, but not everyone here is living comfortably. A lot of people live in poverty. I help with deliveries for people who can’t get out of their homes and I see things I shouldn’t be able to see in our area.” According to him, recipients of the foodbank’s vouchers come twice a month on average. “If they start coming a bit more often, we pay even more attention and try to figure out what led to this change and how we can assist.”

Until the pandemic in 2020, the foodbank was run entirely by volunteers. “But as people were hit both economically and medically, referrals skyrocketed,” Victoria explains. “To keep going, some of us had to dedicate ourselves full-time. There are now three of us employed by the charity to make sure we can fulfil our mission.”

That mission, continues Ed, has evolved: “We now don’t just hand out food we look at the wider picture. When people are too poor to buy food, their situation is usually critical. We try to understand how it got to that point, and help them find safer ground again.”

Indeed, many members of the community come seeking guidance from Boost, Citizens Advice, or from Denis Watson at the North London Housing Project, which works in partnership with Barnet Homes. “Sometimes their issues are linked to housing and the financial pressure it puts on their budgets,” Denis explains. “We can help them access benefits or legal support if they’re having problems with landlords or facing rent increase.”

He also focuses on homelessness prevention. He explains: “I try to be proactive rather than reactive, help people before they lose their homes. Every case is different; it’s about having a human conversation. Sometimes just talking things through keeps someone from feeling overwhelmed by the system or giving up on their rights. We show up, we listen and every now and then, that’s all it takes to help someone out of a difficult situation.”

Victoria smiles, observing the hall as she recalls a recent success. “One man came in, completely confused by an £800 energy bill,” she says. “We called the company together and managed to get it sorted. In the end, he was in credit instead of debt. It feels good to have wins like that. People leave here reassured, lighter somehow.”

Juliana Fonseca from Citizens Advice is among those offering outreach sessions during every distribution day. She says the in-person meetings make a real difference. “Being face to face helps people feel more comfortable and safe,” she explains. “For some, we might be their only social contact that week.”

She adds that foodbank users come from all walks of life. “It’s important to remember that needing the foodbank could happen to anyone. You can lose your job or have your circumstances change overnight. It’s often beyond your control.” She adds: “We may have different backgrounds and situations, but we’re all linked! We ride the same buses, shop in the same supermarkets. We’re part of the same community!”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.