Organisations around the country have backed calls for benefits to rise with inflation in order to meet the needs of millions around the county who are desperately struggling amidst the cost of living crisis. The Independent Food Aid Network and others join these calls, noting the huge impact on those already extremely at-risk. You can read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/nov/03/charities-back-un-envoys-warning-on-further-uk-austerity
Schedule change this week
We have been presented with a fantastic opportunity to partner with Data Scientists through a grant with Science Together and as a result our team will be busy planning new systems and changes on Tuesday. Therefore, in a change to scheduling we will be closed for emergency parcels on Tuesday 8th Nov but open on Wednesday 9th Nov. Thank you so much for your ongoing support and understanding!
Van Drivers Wanted
We’re still on the hunt for some lovely part-time contracted van drivers to join our fantastic team.This will involve:
- Delivering parcels (collection from Richard Benson Hall, 276 Cowley Road). Routes will be mapped, and 15 – 20 stops.
- Collection of Food Supplies from various locations*
We are looking for people with availability on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and particularly over the Christmas period. There are always ad hoc jobs that pop up throughout the week too!
You need:
- A clean licence
- Experience driving / delivering in vans
- References for the above
If you are interested in hearing more, please e-mail jobs@oxfordmutualaid.org with the subject title ‘Van driving at O.M.A.’. If you’re interested in volunteering but also have experience driving a van, please fill out the form here: www.oxfordmutualaid.org/volunteering
Christmas Support
We’re continuing to raise donations for Christmas. If you’re part of a school, college, university, organisation or local group that may be able to host a donation station please get in touch with us through christmas@oxfordmutualaid.org. We can create a personalised poster for you super quickly and arrange for pick up of goods too!! We’d ideally need as many donations as possible by first week of December – so if you can start collecting over the coming month, that would be even better!
Raid your cupboards
This week we didn’t receive support from one of our suppliers which has left us very short of meat and veg. As a result, we’re building up stocks of tinned alternatives to ensure that people are able to get adequate protein and nutrient intake through parcels as best as possible. We know we are not alone in this as the Big Issue reports that foodbanks around the cutting have begun to cut down on staple items: https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/food-banks-forced-cut-staple-items-due-rising-costs/
You can bring donations to us at The Richard Benson Hall, 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR.
This week we are also very much in need of shopping bags to pack our parcels in. While we usually pack in crates, this is not always possible for our lovely delivery bikers and bags are needed to ensure parcels are as accessible as possible to many we’re delivering to. We’re asking people to:
- Return the bags they have received a parcel in at their next delivery and / or to
- Donate any bags they might have
Volunteer With Us
With the huge number of emergency parcel requests we’re seeing each week, we are more in need of support packing parcels at the Hall than ever. We expect this need to worsen and are particularly cautious of the Christmas period where more and more families will be hit by increasing costs of food, fuel and more.
Our training sessions for Hall packing run on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings for just an hour – and you can come back any time – either on a regular or ad-hoc basis. Anything is helpful! If you’re keen to support, particularly if you may be interested in volunteering over Christmas – get in touch at volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org or complete the form online at www.oxfordmutualaid.org/volunteer.
Feedback
We’re as touched as ever to hear kind words for many receiving support from us, all of which show us just how much this support is needed. The thought and care that go into messages like these show just how important communities such as this one are, and we know we’ll able to get through the most difficult times together.
Good evening, thank you do much for the food parcel, we are all having Cottage Pie, yummy, all is very very welcome, thank you once again, our Grandaughter says thanks for the Kit Kats, one of her favourites, have a good weekend, and God bless you for what are doing for everyone.
Thank you so much extremely grateful for you and all the good people who work with you. God bless you all xxx