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Hope Nottingham
Bulletin for our wonderful
food bank referrers
Issue 1: May 2024
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We cannot support local people in crisis without you! | |
Welcome!
I am delighted to welcome you to the first Hope Nottingham Foodbank Referrers' Bulletin.
As a registered referrer with us, you are part of a huge number of people and organisations who are helping support and care for those struggling in our communities across Nottingham. Over the last few years, we have all grappled - first with the pandemic and then with the cost-of-living crisis. The need for a joined-up approach to tackling poverty and its associated problems, has become even more evident.
As a charity, Hope Nottingham, through our East and West Nottingham Foodbank partnership with Trussell Trust, provides emergency food parcels from our 14 food bank centres. We know that whilst short-term help in a crisis is essential, ensuring people get long-term support to tackle the causes of poverty is vital. Together, we are all part of that process. Thank you for your time, effort and dedication working to bring this about.
Please read on to find out more about Hope Nottingham and how we can work effectively together.
Every blessing
Dominique
Dominique Scott
CEO, Hope Nottingham
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What is Hope's vision?
Hope Nottingham is a Christian charity whose vision is "To inspire and grow communities of hope throughout Nottingham". For us, being a 'community of hope' means more than just providing food parcels. Our vision is to help people out of the crisis that necessitates emergency food bank referrals.
We aim to do this via our GRACE mission model (right), helping local communities in giving via food, funds or volunteering, providing relief through kindness, hospitality and food, helping them access appropriate advice, which in turn builds a supportive community which helps empower people out of crisis.
This is why we believe so strongly in operating a robust referral system. Accessing food bank support via appropriate and knowledgeable referral agencies like yours, ensures people in need are receiving person-centred, holistic support to improve their situation.
Sometimes, this support may include a referral for an emergency food parcel. Sometimes it may not. The important things is that a food parcel referral should not be seen as the end of the process. Rather, we should all want to connect those in need, with wider services to address the cause of the need in the first place, and therefore reduce the need of food bank support in the future.
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How does the referral process work? | |
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People in crisis have a helpful and effective conversation with a referral agency to determine what support is needed.
Conversations should be focussed on what the causes of crisis are and what support is needed to overcome these. A food bank referral should not be the first port of call, or only support offered.
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Holistic support is available to help address the root cause of the crisis and reduce the need for a food bank referral.
Referrers should consider all available support which could be offered to reduce future foodbank need. This may involve signposting, referral to or working with other agencies.
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Food parcel referral is given as a last resort, for support in a short time crisis, or accompanying other support.
A referral should only be considered alongside wider support and signposting. Food parcels are an emergency last resort, not an ongoing long-term solution.
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DWP update
You may be aware that in recent months, Job Centres confirmed they will not act as foodbank referrers. This may have led you to receive increased requests for support, and we thank you for your help with this.
We have worked with representatives from the DWP and local Job Centres to ensure guests are signposted to appropriate support agencies in the first instance, who may, if appropriate, issue a voucher for an emergency food parcel. We will not be able to issue food parcels to guests signposted directly from Job Centres.
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How can you help our foodbanks? | | |
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Please read our updated Referrer's Handbook
Our Referrer's Handbook has full details of the Trussell Trust and Hope Nottingham referral process. We ask that all our referrer's read this before starting to make referrals. You can access the Handbook here.
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Sign up for E-Referral
We no longer issue paper food bank vouchers. If your agency is not signed up to our E-Referral system, please contact us. E-referral is easier for you, easier for us and easier for your clients. It safeguards personal data for us both, and helps ensure referrals happen in a more accurate, robust way, keeping our data on foodbank usage current.
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Complete referrals fully
By accurately completing the online referral form (including specific causes of crisis), you are really helping us assess and address levels of need in our communities. It also helps avoid queries and delays at the foodbank for both our volunteers and those in crisis. Please don't leave any sections of the referral form blank, or select 'unable to ask' except in very exceptional circumstances. Even with a language barrier, if providing a referral you should know the situation. If the form is asking for the information, please do trust that we really do need it.
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Contact us about repeat referrals
If you have issued more than 3 referrals in any 6 month period to the same household, and need to refer again, please contact us to discuss the situation. Foodbank referrals are for emergency crisis use only and a plan will be needed to help address any longer term or repeating periods of crisis. With regret, we simply do not have sufficient food stocks to provide indefinite food support.
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Keep us updated with the support you offer
With 400+ referral agencies working with us, it can be hard to keep up to date about the services and support that is out there. Offering ongoing holistic support may include us signposting guests referred to us by other agencies, to the services that you offer, so please do keep us updated.
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Tell us how we are doing
We love to hear how we are doing, especially about the great efforts of our foodbank volunteers. If you have had a good (or even not so good) 'Hope experience', please do tell us. We have a feedback form on our website, and will always pass on praise where praise is due, to our army of volunteers, and address anything that may need improvement. Why not drop us a line here right now?
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Support with referrals
We are always available if you have concerns about foodbank referrals or if you have specific queries. Our team are always happy to help. Please see the contact details below.
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Arrange a visit to Hope House
If you would like to come and see how our foodbanks operate, find out about what else we do, or discuss how we can better work together, why not give us a call to arrange a visit to our main hub in Beeston?
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Getting in touch
We are always happy to support our referrers with any queries or questions you may have. The Hope staff team members you are most likely to be in contact with, relating to foodbank referral are:
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Claire Fenwick
Our Area Foodbank Support Coordinator is generally out and about, supporting our foodbank teams, but will often contact referrers direct and answer their queries.
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Louise Lawrenson
Our Admin and Facilities Coordinator will usually be the one answering your calls or any emails to our general inbox.
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If you need to get in touch, please ring us on 0303 040 1110 or email us at hope@hopenottingham.org.uk
Our Beeston office is open for enquiries and food donations:
Monday - Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday - 9am - 12 noon
(Please note this differs from our foodbank opening times which can be found here, alongside all our current locations and opening times)
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Thank you
Helping those in crisis in our local communities requires a joined-up, multi-agency approach, and so we are very grateful that you are working with us to alleviate need and bring hope to those we serve.
Please do get in touch or visit our website for more information. You can also follow us on Facebook here and we would encourage you to keep up to date with what is happening at Hope Nottingham by signing up to receive our monthly newsletter here.
Finally, a last reminder to please read our updated Referral Agency Handbook mentioned above. See it here.
Every blessing,
From the Hope Nottingham team
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