The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall heard inspiring stories from community members on a visit to the Wandsworth Foodbank on Tuesday.
Prince Charles and Camilla visited the operation, housed at St Mark’s Church in Wandsworth and met with the Reverend Martyn Lavzell, Vicar of St Mark’s, and Sarah Chapman (co-founder), Dan Frith (manager), and Emma Revie (CEO of the Trussell Trust) to discuss the support they provide to the community.
During their visit, they met with around 20 volunteers, staff members, community supporters, and church leaders who keep the food bank running and saw the packages created and delivered to those in need. They also heard stories about the people who use the food bank’s services and inspiring stories from the staff and volunteers about why they continue to lend their support to the initiative.
Before departing, Prince Charles and Camilla signed a certificate recognising the Wandsworth Foodbank and its work throughout the pandemic and continuing onward.
Clarence House shared photos of their visit on social media and wrote, “Thank you for the amazing work you all do to support the people of Wandsworth.”
Wandsworth Foodbank wrote on their Twitter, “We hope it helps shine a light on the poverty that too many people & families are experiencing, and so we’re thankful.”
Wandsworth Foodbank was founded by members of the congregation at St Mark’s Church in 2013 and operates within a community trust that provides support to those in need across the Wandsworth Borough.
The Foodbank’s mission is to “help people through crisis, while working towards a future where everyone can afford the essentials, and no one needs a food bank to get by,” per Clarence House.
In 2020, the Wandsworth Foodbank home-delivered 11,336 emergency food supplies during the pandemic, which was a 78% increase from the previous year.
