Get Help

If you need help, a food bank can provide an emergency food parcel containing three days of nutritionally balanced food, as well as essential toiletries.

Getting a voucher:

In order to get help from a food bank you will need to be referred with a food voucher. The voucher is then exchanged at the food bank for a food parcel.

Our Foodbank works with a range of local agencies who can refer people to get a food parcel, such as housing associations, GPs, schools, the City Council and advice charities. If you have an existing link a local agency then you should contact them to ask whether they can issue you a food voucher.

If you do not have an existing link with a support agency you can obtain a voucher by calling one of these helplines:

  • The Narthex Referral Line on 0121 227 0103
    (lines open 9:30am-12:30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30am-3:00pm on Friday and Monday)
  • The Birmingham City Council on 0121 303 1116
    (lines open 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday to Friday)
  • Help Through Hardship on 0808 208 2138
    (lines open 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday to Friday)

If you are having trouble obtaining a voucher please contact us, or visit us during one of our sessions, and our team will be happy to assist.

Visiting the Foodbank:

Once you have obtained a voucher, you will be able to visit our Foodbank during it’s opening hours to collect your parcel. Unfortunately we are unable to offer deliveries, so require the parcel to be collected by yourself, or someone on your behalf.

Our Foodbank is based in the café at Birmingham City Church. Whilst you are here you will be offered a hot or cold drink, and a biscuit. One of our volunteers will then sit down with you to discuss your circumstances, as well as any dietary restrictions, allergies or other food needs, and a parcel will be made up for you. Visits to our Foodbank usually take 30-60 minutes, depending on busyness, and the type of support you require.

The food parcel will contain roughly 3 days worth of food, for you and your household/family unit. It will mostly be made up of store cupboard items such as tinned soup, pasta sauce, cereal, pasta/rice, biscuits, UHT milk etc. The parcel will also usually contain some essential toiletries.

Other Support:

During our sessions we are joined by advisors from Birmingham Settlement, who are available to provide debt and benefit advice, and other support, to anyone using our Foodbank. We are also joined by a team from Birmingham Mind on a Friday, who are always very happy to chat to anyone who visits us.