Smithy Bridge Library opens food donation centre

Donations of food can be now be made to Smithy Bridge Library for the Rochdale Borough’s Community Warehouse with the launch of a pilot donation centre.

The library will collect donations to supply the Community Warehouse, which was set up to help combat food poverty in the borough during the pandemic.

The Community Warehouse is a central distribution hub supporting the voluntary sector to improve access to food and supplies for people with dignity and without deprivation, and is still much needed.

Councillor Janet Emsley, ward councillor for Littleborough Lakeside, is encouraging residents of Smithy Bridge and the surrounding area to donate much-needed tinned, boxed, and dried food, as well as toiletries and baby products, to the library.

Councillor Emsley, who supports the Community Warehouse and volunteered to do door-to-door collections as an Action Together Street Ambassador, said: "I am delighted to champion this great scheme.

“Food poverty and deprivation is still prevalent in the borough amongst many families, and we still need to offer this lifeline to these families during the current times.

“We hope that local people will become familiar with the donation centre and regularly bring items each week."

Voluntary organisations, statutory bodies and Action Together are working together to tackle food crises for families and individuals struggling to afford food, and the stigma around food poverty and access to appropriate food for those isolated in Rochdale.

Food projects and donation centres are being set up across the borough to help bring in stock from local residents to the warehouse, alongside the door-to-door Street Ambassador volunteer programme.

Jennifer Harris, senior library and information assistant, is delighted that Smithy Bridge Library will act as one of the donation centres over the coming months. She said: “The library is currently only open for a request and collect service, so having the opportunity to do this helps connect with the local community in a different way.

“We also have lots of really good books about food, recipe books, eating well, and simple home cooking available to loan out as part of our request and collect service.”

To donate, bring food donations to Smithy Bridge Library on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 9am - 12.30pm. Out of date, used or fresh food cannot be accepted.

If you require further information about the Community Warehouse or how to donate, please contact Julie Durrant at Action Together  on 0161 339 2345 or email.

To volunteer, visit the Action Together website.