Basics Bank

Despite the obvious wealth in the City, there are still areas of real deprivation and poverty which affect the lives of many individuals and families. Throughout its long history, the City Mission has tried to bring practical relief to those genuinely in need.

These folk may be homeless or in temporary accommodation, refugees or asylum seekers, families escaping from domestic or other violence, single parents, the unemployed, those with debt problems or mental health issues, ex-prisoners or teenagers thrown out of home.

The Basics Bank is the social outreach ministry of the City Mission, providing food, bedding, toiletries, cutlery and crockery to those who are “in crisis”. A city-wide network of around 40 statutory, voluntary and charitable agencies work in partnership with the City Mission and refer clients for assistance. This referral system ensures that we help those with genuine needs.

We are able to offer up to four weeks unconditional support with food parcels to the value of £20 per week. Those with particularly difficult situations can receive help for longer. For those moving from homelessness or temporary accommodation we provide Start-up Home Packs containing bedding and basic home ware. Each year many hundreds of visits are made to the Basics Bank.

Christmas can be a particularly hard time for some families! Our Christmas Cheer project enables us to distribute food hampers and presents to the most needy families and children who would otherwise have very little.