The Andover foodbank has submitted a planning application to add a small extension, the size of a double garage, onto the back of its premises at Alexandra Road, Andover. The extension to our current site will ensure that we are able to continue to help local people in crisis.
In the past rapid growth required us to rent a second site but now that our growth has matured and demand has settled to a consistent level whereby we help around 5500 a year, we want to consolidate ourselves onto one site and use donations to directly help local people in need rather than on paying rent. Working from one site will mean that the foodbank will no longer have to move food between sites and it will substantially reduce our overall costs meaning that funds used on rent can be diverted to help those in need.
James Fraser, partner in the design and planning team at BCM Rural Property Specialists based at Sutton Scotney, near Winchester, generously donated his time to design the scheme and submit the planning application and will help to manage the build.
The foodbank consulted some of the 70 agencies that we partner and received hugely positive responses outlining how their clients benefit from our work. We approached, local residents, the general public through social media sites and collected signatures for a petition to show support for our planning application. We have also received support from local Councillors and help from both the Planning and Building team and Tree Team at TVBC.
It is really helpful it is when businesses donate their skills free of charge to the foodbank in addition to making a cash donation. The foodbank would love to hear from others who could get involved in this or other projects in a similar way through helping complete the build or provide materials.