FAQs and Feedback

How does my organisation make a referral to the foodbank?

Our foodbank works with a range of local agencies who meet people at risk of going hungry. Local advice centres, children’s centres and health visitors are just some of those who can make refer people to our foodbank by issuing them with a foodbank voucher. If you think that your organisation could help people by referring them to our foodbank, please get in touch with us to discuss becoming a registered voucher holder.

Where is my nearest foodbank centre?

Please go to the locations page to find the address and opening times of each of our foodbank centres. Please note you must have a foodbank voucher to receive help from the foodbank. If you don’t have a voucher please contact us to find out how to get a voucher.

What’s in a typical food parcel?

A typical food parcel contains a minimum of three days of nutritionally balanced, non-perishable, tinned and dried foods that have been donated by the local community. A typical food parcel includes: breakfast cereal, soup, pasta, rice, pasta sauce, baked beans, tinned meat, tinned vegetables, instant mash, UHT milk, tea, coffee, sugar, tinned dessert and biscuits. Some foodbanks also provide fresh produce if they are able to.

Can the parcel be adapted to special dietary requirements?

Our foodbank can usually adapt your food parcel to suit your dietary needs. Just let them know when you arrive with your voucher. We can provide specific parcels for a range of needs including people with diabetes, gluten intolerance, vegetarians and halal. We will also endeavour to adapt your parcel to accommodate any food allergies you indicate.

Will the food parcel cater for my whole family?

Our foodbank will adapt your food parcel according to the number of adults and children indicated on your voucher. They will also endeavour to provide foods that are age appropriate and in suitable quantities for your children. We can sometimes offer baby foods, but not SMA milk.

I have a baby, can you help with supplies of nappies and baby food?

Our foodbank may have nappies and baby foods, which we can add to your parcel. Please let the foodbank know when you arrive if you need additional items for your baby. We will also signpost you to local provision of further support where possible.

What if I can’t get to the foodbank centre?

We are unable to deliver your food parcel to your home, but your Referral Agency may be able to collect a food parcel for you.  Please discuss this with the agency that refers you and ask them to get in touch with the foodbank directly to discuss this.

Feedback and complaints

Bradford North foodbank is committed to delivering a high standard of service to anyone who engages with our work. We believe that the best way to improve is by learning both from the people who use the service and the staff and volunteers providing it.

We warmly welcome feedback in the form of comments, compliments and suggestions from clients, referral agencies, staff, volunteers and anyone else we come into contact within our work. Careful analysis of this feedback helps us to see what we are doing well and where we can make improvements.

We aim to promote a supportive environment where people are encouraged to raise and discuss issues informally and, where necessary, seek solutions to prevent them developing into problems or complaints. However, we recognise that there may be situations where people are not happy with the outcome of an informal discussion, feel that the issue needs to be taken  further, or it is judged that a problem is best approached in a more formal manner for reasons of confidentiality. In these cases, Bradford North foodbank has a complaints procedure so that we can work towards a resolution in a fair and transparent manner.

Our promise and commitment

We recognise that there may be times when our services and activities do not meet client expectations. If this happens, it is important that we know about it as soon as possible so that we can deal with the situation effectively to try to prevent it from happening again and to learn from our mistakes.

We fully appreciate that staff and volunteers working hands on in our warehouses and foodbank centres are well placed to make practical suggestions as to how our practices and procedures can be further improved.

We promise to take all feedback and complaints seriously and to deal with them in a timely manner.

How to give feedback

If you would like to share a comment, make a suggestion or compliment us on any aspect of our service, you can contact us in one of the following ways:

• By completing a Feedback Form (available at Foodbank sessions or in the policy below) and returning it to staff/volunteers at a foodbank centre or to our office
• In person to staff/volunteers at the foodbank
• By phone: 01274 292256
• By email: [email protected]
• Write to the following address: The Foodbank Manager, Bradford North Foodbank, Unit 12, Newlands House Two, Inspire Bradford Business Park, Bradford, BD10 0JE

Download our full Feedback and Complaints Policy, including feedback form.

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