For Episode 25 of Made In Ely, we sat down with Seamus Connolly, CEO of Ely Foodbank, to find out more about the organisation, how it supports people across our local community, and the many different ways people can get involved.
What quickly became clear is that Ely Foodbank is about much more than simply handing out food.
More than a food parcel
Ely Foodbank began around 13 years ago when a group of local churches came together. Today, it operates across nine locations, covering around 288 square miles, from March and Chatteris across to Waterbeach, Haddenham, Ely, Soham and Burwell.
Unlike some food banks, people don’t simply walk in and request a parcel. Ely Foodbank works with referral partners including GP surgeries, councils and other frontline organisations, who can refer people experiencing hardship.
When someone arrives at a session, the aim is to make the experience as welcoming and dignified as possible.
The sessions are designed more like a café than what you might traditionally imagine a food bank to look like, with tables, refreshments and a friendly welcome. People receive a food parcel based on the size of their household, alongside access to an “extras table” offering things such as toiletries, cleaning products, sanitary products and pet food.
Because, as Seamus points out, life doesn’t just stop with breakfast, dinner and tea.
Helping people beyond the food
One of the most interesting parts of our conversation was learning about the additional support available through the Foodbank.
Ely Foodbank has partnered with Citizens Advice, with advisors attending sessions to help people navigate issues such as benefits, council services and other financial support.
The idea is not simply to provide someone with food today, but to help address some of the issues that have contributed to them needing support in the first place.
The Foodbank also works with other organisations and charities, helping to connect people with the right support.
It’s an important part of the organisation’s wider role within the community — acting as a safety net, while trying to help people get back to a position where they don’t need to rely on that safety net.
An enormous operation powered by volunteers
Behind the scenes, Ely Foodbank is a significant logistical operation.
Around 200,000kg of food passes through the organisation each year, with donations collected from supermarkets and other collection points being brought back to the warehouse, sorted and repacked before being distributed.
And the vast majority of the people making that happen are volunteers.
Seamus explained that there are just 3.5 paid staff, supported by around 125 volunteers who give their time throughout the year.
Volunteers help with everything from running food bank sessions and welcoming visitors to driving, warehouse sorting and packing, fundraising and specialist projects.
It’s a huge reminder of just how much of the local support network is powered by people simply giving up their time to help others.
What can you donate?
Ely Foodbank operates as an ambient food bank, meaning it primarily accepts non-perishable items such as tins, jars, pasta, rice and other dried products.
And while donations of any of these items are valuable, Seamus highlighted a few things that the Foodbank is particularly short of.
Tinned meat, custard, tinned fruit and UHT milk are among the items that are often needed, while pasta and baked beans tend to be donated in much greater quantities.
Most supermarkets have food bank collection points, making it easy to add a few extra items to your regular shop and make a direct difference locally.
Local support really does matter
One of Seamus’s strongest messages was just how important the local community is to Ely Foodbank.
Food banks are inherently local organisations, and he explained that the Foodbank’s growing sustainability after 13 years is largely down to support from local individuals, businesses, trusts and foundations.
That support is becoming increasingly important too. Seamus explained that demand is continuing to rise, with the need increasing by around 10% a year, while the complexity of the challenges people are facing is also growing.
For a charity operating across such a large area, building strong relationships with the communities and businesses it serves is therefore essential.
There are lots of ways to get involved
If you want to support Ely Foodbank, donating food isn’t the only option.
The organisation is always looking for volunteers, with opportunities ranging from helping at food bank sessions to driving, warehouse work, fundraising and providing specialist skills.
For businesses, there are also opportunities to support the charity through staff volunteering, fundraising, events or sharing professional expertise.
As Seamus puts it, volunteering can also be a great way to discover whether working in the charity sector is right for you.
A vital part of our local community
Our conversation with Seamus gave us a fascinating insight into an organisation that many people may know by name, but perhaps don’t fully understand.
Ely Foodbank isn’t simply about food. It’s about dignity, practical support, volunteers, logistics, fundraising and — perhaps most importantly — a local community coming together to support people when they need it most.
And with around 125 volunteers, 200,000kg of food processed each year and nine locations across the area, it’s clear that there’s an enormous amount happening behind the scenes.
A huge thank you to Seamus for joining us on Made In Ely and sharing more about the work of Ely Foodbank.
You can hear the full conversation in Episode 25 of Made In Ely, recorded here at Ely Work Collective.
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