Category: News

We hope you all either enjoyed the snow or are now enjoying the absence of it! Throughout the week OMA has continued to support 199 households with regular food parcels, and also provided over 72 emergency parcels.

Solidarity with Migrants

The UK government is yet again attempting to create more boundaries that aim to discriminate and separate. The hostility of the government towards migrants is at odds with our principles of inclusion, solidarity, love and community. As a Mutual Aid group, we would like to take a stance of solidarity against any policy that inhibits our capacity for inclusion, and stand with those who give voices to the suppressed.

Please check out ways to support and get involved:

Regularise UK on Instagram

Lesbians and Gays Support Migrants on Instagram

Migrants Organise on Instagram

Calais Food Collective on Instagram

Thank you to the Blue Cross in Burford

We have been supported by the Blue Cross in Burford in fortnightly donations of pet food for several months now. This kindness has transformed the support we can give to those with pets and has spread much practical help and joy to those in acute crisis. We have recently been featured through them in the Oxford Mail. Do check it out!

Sourcing for Ramadan

The wonderful Ramadan team are in full-flow and sourcing across the city and beyond for food and funds so we can give beautiful gift parcels both at the start of Ramadan and at Eid. If you have any ideas or want to see how you can help, get in touch by emailing coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org

Here’s a donation station poster to go in any house, workplace, or street. Get collecting!

Cleaning our new storage space

OMA has wonderfully been granted access to a large storage space near the station. It needs a good cleanup so we’re looking for as much help as possible. We will be there from 3-6pm on Wednesday 15th March with Oxford Community Action who will also be helping. It will be lovely and jovial so please come down for some OMA/OCA bonding! 

The place also has no electricity or water, and so if you can help out with either donation of portable floodlights or head-torches or access to water in the area, then please let us know.

If you might be around to help out, then please email coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org.

County Vision for Volunteering

OCVA and Community First Oxfordshire are gathering community experience of volunteering in Oxford. On Tuesday 21st of March at 11.30am there is a 45-minute informal zoom chat to discuss volunteer needs. It’s a chance to hear and share experiences and ideas with volunteers from across Oxfordshire, and is open to all volunteers and people involved in unpaid community action, activism or support.

They would like to hear how volunteers and would-be volunteers can be supported by decision-makers like councils, funding bodies, and the voluntary sector itself. How can we ensure that everyone has access to voluntary opportunities? What’s needed to empower existing volunteers to continue in community action? These discussions often focus on the needs of the organisations (and I’m sure that it’ll be a part of the zoom discussion) but the needs of volunteers as individuals are often overlooked. Lets change that!

If you have any ideas, or just think that it’s an interesting topic, then please come along.

Date: 21.03.2023

Time: 11.30

Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83593945080?pwd=WEh0OW15aUgzK0Y0dk83em9FcmI3dz09

Fruit and Veg shortage

We, along with many others, are trying to cope with the enormous shortage of fresh produce at the moment. We are looking to diversify our food sources and so if you know of any businesses, shops, allotments, or farms that may be able to help us, then please let us know or reach out yourselves to them. It’s always good to remember one of OMA’s oldest sayings: ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get!’.

Feedback

You came on your BIKE?! You must be very cold … thank you so much, you are a life saver, you have no idea … thank you thank you!

Thanks for another generous delivery. The cats are delighted and so am I. Wonderful treats!

This week we continued to provide regular and emergency food and essential item support to households across the city.

Thank you – Union and Community Group Solidarity

Thanks to the Young Communist League for ongoing collections and donations.

Thanks also to CWU (Communication Workers Union) for donations last week.

OMA sends solidarity to all striking workers, especially NEU members who went on strike this week and to the UCU who voted for additional strike days this week! We donated items that could not be distributed in our parcels to Our Unions Our Power’s Strike Solidarity party for their raffle on Saturday evening.

Number of children in food poverty doubles in one year

A recent article from The Guardian outlines the striking increase in food poverty in the UK. 4 million children are now considered to be in food poverty, up 100% from last year’s figures. “According to the Food Foundation thinktank, one in five (22%) of households reported skipping meals, going hungry or not eating for a whole day in January”. With 800,000 children in poverty not eligible for free school meals, support falls on groups and organisations like OMA to help fill the gaps in families’ weekly food provision. 

This increase in food poverty is a result of food price inflation, rising energy costs and stagnated wages along with negligence on the part of the current government to address these issues faced by households most at risk in the UK.

Read more here.

New partnership with Donnington Doorstep

Thanks to funding from the Pye Charitable trust we have started a partnership with Donnington Doorstep. We are supporting 8 families with food parcels every 2 weeks, using Donnington Doorstep as a collection point. By partnering with Donnington Doorstep we have been able to facilitate these families in accessing our services by collecting the parcel from a safe space they are familiar with. The deliveries also enable them to access the wonderful family services Donnington Doorstep offer! If you would like to help by delivering 4 parcels weekly to Donnington Doorstep on Wednesday mornings get in touch at volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org.

Ongoing fruit and veg shortages

This week we are in desperate need of: 

Potatoes

Onions

Carrots 

We have included some links above but feel free to order or drop off to us anytime – we’re The Richard Benson Hall, 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR. Thank you! 

Feedback

Every week your parcel saves my life. You have said for a long time the parcel will be smaller but its always more than I expect.

Many thanks for the wonderful food parcel.  I particularly loved the beautiful daffodils…they really lift the spirits

Today marks another amazing week of support and solidarity at O.M.A, with a huge team effort including lots of amazing new driver and hall volunteers on board – we’re so grateful for the ongoing care, and thank you very much for your efforts! 

Looking at our work since the start of the year, we have delivered over 550 emergency parcels on top over 200 weekly deliveries. The extent of the need and ongoing demand for support is staggering, but as is our collective and growing effort. As ever, O.M.A is all of us so if you do need support, or know anyone who does, please do reach out. 

Part time van driver needed

We’re on the hunt again 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 Thursday during the day, but 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 

Ramadan preparations

As you may know, we’re gearing up for our efforts to support those celebrating the holy month of Ramadan – ensuring we’re providing effective support through the provision of culturally appropriate foods as well as sweets and treats. At O.M.A, we believe that it’s not just “the essentials” that we need to distribute, but items to ensure that we are respecting the dignity and autonomy and choices of all those we’re supporting. 

If you are keen to help with sourcing or know anyone who can donate items (including shops, stores, schools and more!!!) then please email us at coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org. Let the celebrations begin!

Baby items, toiletries and tins needed

As ever, our stocks are reducing as a result of increasing food prices as well as changes in supply chains – many of which hit food support providers like O.M.A the hardest. In addition to food we provide nappies and formula milk as well as toiletries and hygiene products as these are essential and costly items. Everyone has a right to good health and care and we hope to ensure we can continue to provide these items but we need your help!

At the moment, we are particularly in need of nappies size 2 and 6, sanitary pads, black tea and tinned soup.

Feel free to order or drop off to us anytime – we’re The Richard Benson Hall, 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR. Thank you!  

Supporting food justice in OX4

As part of our work with the OX4 Food Crew we have been working on a project to fundraise for the bulk purchase of key food items many of which are in extremely short supply. We are now 56% of the way towards our target so please continue to share and donate!

Please continue to let friends, family and networks know about food injustice – we know that food poverty is not an isolated problem but a structural one and increasing support for grassroots organisations and partnerships like the OX4 Food Crew will help communities support each other. A shout out this week also to the amazing Film Oxford who filmed a short video for us on Tuesday! We’re very excited to see the results.

Feedback

We’ve been grateful to receive thoughtful feedback and are always reminded of how needed this community is.

Thank you for delivery of food to me yesterday evening I got them and I’m grateful for the provisions provided thank you very much!

Huge thanks for the brilliant food parcel this morning!

Thanks for another wonderful delivery. The cats are delighted and so am I.

We’ve had another busy week at OMA. We are experiencing high levels of emergency parcel requests that are increasing week to week.

Thank you so much to everyone who continues to support and participate with OMA.

Solidarity with striking workers

We stand in solidarity with striking workers this week – continuing to fight for better pay and working conditions including teachers, rail workers, university staff, civil service workers, health care workers and more. We continue to support efforts to affirm job security and pay rises in line with inflation, as the continued cost of living crisis puts increased pressures on millions across the country.

You can read more about the campaigns for working rights happening across the country here

Trialing a 6-day week

Thank you so much for supporting us for another brilliant week at O.M.A. We are beginning with a new trial of a 6-day week. This means that we will now be closed on Saturdays. This means that we will not be open for regular parcel deliveries, receipt of donations, emergency parcel requests, or collections at the Hall, and that our staff and volunteer teams will not be available to respond to queries or concerns until the following day. All our parcels have been brilliantly reorganised to ensure that all regular deliveries can continue as normal – thank you to everyone who has helped to make this possible.

As always, if you or anyone you know is in need of support, please reach out to us on any day except Tuesday and Saturday and read through our signposting leaflet with more support options across the City here.

Rainbow families at Flo’s

Join Flo’s for a friendly drop in celebrating and welcoming all families in the LGBTQ+ community.

Weekly on Mondays from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm at the Meeting Room at Flo’s – The Place in the Park Rymers Lane OX4 3JZ

No need to book, just drop in on the day! 

There will be toys, crafts and games for little ones, in a relaxed setting where you can meet other families and chat over a cup of tea.

No charge. Suggested donation of £2/£3 for room hire costs

All enquiries to victoria@flosoxford.org.uk

https://www.facebook.com/events/574884940907394/574884957574059/?active_tab=about

Drivers and bikers urgently needed

As we’re moving to a new 6 day programme this means that we are delivering more parcels than previously each day to accommodate both emergency and regular deliveries. If you have any time during the day then please let us know – anything from 20 minutes to three hours is brilliant. We are struggling with increased numbers of requests and are concerned we will not be able to deliver emergency parcels on certain days should we not increase our driver/biker capacity.

Routes are available flexibly in terms of location, time and regularity. You can either sign up on an ad-hoc basis or for a regular shift – whatever works for you! We have routes in locations from OX1 to OX5 for both bikes and cars. If you’re interested in helping out please email us on volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org.

Fresh veg and fruit needed

One of our main suppliers weren’t able to help us out last week, which means we are very short on fresh fruit and veg.

Without more supplies we will not have enough food for our parcels

If you have any capacity to donate, please bring or send donations of fruit and veg to 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR

Everything is welcome no matter how small, and all helps to ensure our parcels are nutritionally balanced and healthy!

It would also be great if you could support us with any of the following (click to order):

Pasta sauce 

Tinned tomatoes

Tinned meat

Tinned soup

Mutual Aid and Grassroots Community Action on Film

As part of Future Co-ops conference, there will be a public screening of ‘From Below’, which will be followed by a Q&A and discussion session with the producer and lead researcher on the project, Dr Oli Mould. 

The event is Friday 10^th Feb 15.00-17.00 at the Leonardo Royal Hotel (Godstow Road, Oxford, OX2 8AL).

From Below is a documentary film showcasing mutual aid and grassroots community action that helped feed and comfort the vulnerable during the covid-19 pandemic lockdowns. The film focuses on specific towns and cities across the North and South of England and speaks to how community action can be supported in order to help people in future crises, both of the climate and of the economy. From Below is part of a broader research project, funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

Tickets cost £10 each. You can book here: https://futures.coop/from-below-screening/

Feedback

Although unnecessary, we are grateful for the wonderful feedback we receive each week. 

The meals transformed her. she was was under 6 stone and put on a lot of weight, and she was so excited. It was like a little treat every week

I really appreciate being able to speak to someone and have my questions answered, thank you

Thanks so much for supporting us in this difficult moments for us we really appreciate it. OMA is a fantastic team 

It has been a busy week, as always! This week we continued to support nearly 200 households with regular parcel deliveries. We also packed and delivered over 80 emergency parcels to households across the city, as well as continuing to both receive and share surplus with all our partner organisations and friends! We are now regularly receiving between 20 and 30 requests for emergency support every day that our phone lines are open.

If you find yourself struggling to meet your food needs and preferences, please do not hesitate to get in touch via call or text on 07310160595, any day except Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 4pm. We will never ask you to prove your level of need, or to explain why you need support.

Here is our updated signposting information for the new year!

Social Action Fair

This week, a group of OMA members went to the Social Action Fair, a partnership event between the Oxford Hub and the Oxford SU which gathered together many Oxford-based organisations working for social and political justice. We spoke to students about OMA’s work and how to get involved, as well as linking up with other organisations working on related projects. If you are a regular volunteer and interested in representing OMA at similar events in the future, get in touch with one of the coordinators!

Check out our gorgeous new banner, at its first outing!

Upcoming webinars from the Independent Food Aid Network UK

IFAN is planning two joint webinars with Feeding Britain and the University of York as part of their joint Structural Inequalities webinar series. Their focus will be on structural inequalities, food insecurity and benefit sanctions and deductions and increasing in-work poverty. You can book your free place below:

2nd February, 11am: ‘State sanctioned hunger’: Sanctions, deductions, and rising food insecurity

23rd February, 11am: ‘A route out of poverty’: The effect of low wages and insecure work on food insecurity

News from the Campaign to Keep Campsfield Closed

The Campaign to Keep Campsfield Closed is a campaign against the reopening of Campsfield Immigration Detention Centre in Kidlington. We stand in solidarity with the campaign and are sharing their new change.org petition!

Feel free to sign and share! https://linktr.ee/keepcampsfieldclosed

Citizen’s Advice is looking for your feedback

Have you ever received support from OMA or a food bank? Are you a member of a larder or have been to a community Fridge? 

If so, Citizen’s Advice Oxford would like you to fill out a survey to discuss you experiences. They are trying to raise funds to provide a new advice service in the various food support services around Oxford, including Oxford Mutual Aid*

To take the survey, click here

It’s anonymous and none of your personal details will be stored.

Feedback

Every week, we share some feedback that we have received from people we support. As always, we would like to underscore that we do not expect gratitude – unfortunately, OMA is working to provide a form of food support that is necessary both to everyday survival and everyday enjoyment.

I came downstairs to a wonderful bounty! Thanks so much. Us 4 (me, two cats, and rascal kitten) will eat like Kings all weekend. Much appreciated.

Your stellar work is amazing and makes a real difference to my life

My food parcel was very appreciated. Such good service and great staff, so helpful. Thank you very much OMA.

A busy start to the year

We’re hitting the New Year at full steam ahead. As the cost of living crisis rages on, we have been very busy, Our emergency support line is busier than ever, with upwards of 20 emergency parcel requests every day. This represents a staggering increase to where we were just a few short months ago.

Sometimes we have filled up all of our emergency slots for the day by 12pm. If last minute call outs fail we inevitably have to turn people away or ask them to call back the next day.

We really need more drivers and bikers.

If you think you could help, please get in touch by signing up to volunteer here.

If can’t bike or drive but want to contribute in other ways you can also:

• Spread awareness: let your friends, family and colleagues know about food injustice. Ask them to spread the word to others too. Food poverty is not an isolated or individualised problem – it is a structural one.
• Join a team: OMA always welcomes participants in any of our amazing teams, for example phone volunteering, social media, finance, delivery coordination or logistics. To sign up or if you have and questions, please email volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org
• Donate: If you have the means, you can share your resources with others but making a financial contribution or by donating items requested. For OMA, you can do this here: https://tinyurl.com/2x2vvzhb

You are not alone

We know it is a very difficult time for everyone and we encourage people to keep reaching out if it’s difficult to get through at first. We will do our best to get to you as quickly as possible. You’re not alone.

In the meantime, here is some information on the various sources of support around Oxford you can access around Oxford

Citizen’s Advice is looking for your feedback

Have you ever received support from OMA or a food bank? Are you a member of a larder or have been to a community Fridge?

If so citizen’s advice Oxford would like you to fill out this survey to discuss you experiences. They are trying to raise funds to provide a new advice service in the various food support services around Oxford, including Oxford Mutual Aid

To fill it out, click here

It’s anonymous and none of your personal details will be stored.

Plastic bags/bags for life needed

If you have far too many plastic bags lying around your house and don’t know what to do with them, let us help you! To save us from spending money on plastic bags, please consider donating yours to OMA. This is not only good for the planet but it is good for O.M.A’s budget.

If you a regular or emergency contact, please do return any bags you might have from us. You can give them to the driver or biker.

Choose OMA to be your local cause

Are you a Co-op Member? If so, there are additional ways you can support OMA via the Local Community Fund.

When you buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes into your membership account. The same amount also goes towards like-minded organisations and local causes. You can select a local cause you would like to support – OMA is one of the nominated causes this year.

Here is our profile and you can choose to nominate us here.

Thanks to St Antony’s College

We wanted to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to St. Antony’s College Oxford who has been preparing simply beautiful meals for Kitchen Collective and Regular / Emergency Parcel Contacts. This was especially wonderful over the festive period as many of our other partners took a well deserved break over Christmas

If you work in a kitchen or go to an Oxford College why not encourage them to get involved with Oxford Mutual Aid’s Kitchen Collective programme

‘… OMA have been so helpful and organised that we have all made easy work of it’ – Head Chef at St. Antony’s

Feedback

“Oh my goodness, nothing prepared me for such a parcel. Thank you so much!!!! More than enough. I’m close to tears.” – from a new contact

“The last parcel was great, there were two chickens which saved my family for four days. After the first few months the situation we’re in is really hitting home, I can’t afford all of the things I need and noone has any money to lend or borrow at the moment. The parcels make a big difference, my friend also receives one and we sometimes share and swap things from them.” – From a regular contact

THIS RECRUITMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED

We are seeking two Directors of Operations and an Operations Coordinator to join our fantastic coordination team, and our brilliant community.

To find out more about the roles please see the links below. You can always reach out if you have questions:

for Coordinator: jobs@oxfordmutualaid.org
for Director: oversight@oxfordmutualaid.org

To apply please complete the forms linked below before 3rd February 2023. Early applications are welcome!

application form for OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

application form for DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Happy New Year!

We hope you have had a wonderful entry into 2023.

Winter is always particularly tough however our challenges this year were exacerbated by the Cost of Living Crisis which grows deeper by the day. 

Nonetheless, so many of you pulled together to show solidarity with your friends, neighbours and to one another. Thank you so much.

Regular schedule continues

A huge thank you to everyone who has continued to support us throughout the Winter break, and for the first time since we have been established, we were able to take breaks across New Year and Christmas weekends. This was so important for the welfare of our staff and volunteer teams and we thank everyone who made sure this was possible.

From this week, we continue with our regular schedule such that deliveries will be made every day and emergency parcels will be available every day except Tuesday & Saturday. 

As the costs of living continue to rise and more and more people are plunged into increasingly precarious circumstances, please do reach out to check in on those in your communities. We are there to help everyone – we do not means-test and are always there to offer support. If you know anyone who needs support – please do share our signposting leaflet which offers advice and information both on how to contact OMA as well as other local sources of support. We will be looking to update this in 2023 so if you know any other services which you would like to us to include, please contact us as coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org 

Solidarity with striking workers

We wanted to continue to send out utmost solidarity and strength to all those continuing to stand up for working rights and conditions. In the coming weeks the Nurses Strike continues, with striking workers picketing outside the John Radcliffe Hospital.  

The ongoing effects of austerity and cuts to welfare systems are apparent everywhere – and this devastating reality is affecting more and more people every day. We see hundreds of referrals from working people every week, and know we need to continue to support those fighting for better pay, better work security and working conditions. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-63561305

Christmas 2022

This year we were amazed by the kindness and organisation which facilitated a lovely delivery of hundreds of presents over the Christmas period. This involved wrapping, packing, calling, purchasing, donating and delivering and we saw fantastic organisations, schools and colleges get involved from all across Oxford. This would not be possible without each and every one of you so thank you to everyone who shared and spread the message of joy and support this season. We know it made such a difference to those receiving gifts and thank you all for this amazing continued effort. 

Thank you for the Xmas presents last week. Without them I wouldn’t have received anything. Thank you so much!

How can you help us in 2023?

As ever, we have been astounded by the ongoing support over the Winter break and know that as it has done every year our community will continue to grow in 2023. We always need more and more people to join us – whether that is as a driver, delivery coordinator, remote support or at the Hall.

Over the past few weeks we have noticed a shortage of people available to pack parcels and help with tasks at the Hall. We urgently need more support so if you know anyone who may be able to help even for a few hours a day – please ask them to get in touch with us at volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org or email www.oxfordmutualaid.org/volunteer

Raid your cupboards

We also face continued shortages in 2023, and really need as much support as we can get in the form of small donations, donation drives, fundraising and more. This week we really need:

• Tinned tomatoes

• Tinned chickpeas

• Tinned tuna

If you are able to donate please send items to 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR

It’s Nearly Christmas!

We can’t quite believe it – we’re almost ready to start packing hampers. This has been months in the planning and has only been possible because of all of the amazing people who have worked so hard to spread the word about our efforts!

We have had so many incredible donations from so many! Whether it is individuals or groups, schools, offices, churches or colleges – you’ve all come together to share with your community!  None of this would be possible without YOU!

We still have items that we need more of to make sure everyone is at least given a token this Christmas

1. Warm clothing such as hats, scarves, socks and gloves

This is the one we really really need lots more of! Many of the families / people we support are struggling to heat their homes or are precariously housed / experiencing homelessness. It is essential they keep warm any way they can so this would be a very welcome gift this Christmas 

2. Large sharing family chocolates

Who doesn’t like a good treat especially at Christmas to share with their friends, families and loved ones. 

And speaking of hampers….

Volunteer December 16th-23rd and 26th-30th to help with Christmas hampers

Could you help with our Christmas hamper deliveries?

Over the last few weeks we have had a challenging time sourcing enough delivery drivers and bikers to deliver our parcels and we need even more over the busy Christmas period.

Not only is demand for emergency support on the rise but we will have other additional festive deliveries to do.

Is this something you think you could help with?

Collection is at the Richard Benson Hall and we can be flexible on timing 

If you’re new to OMA, pease email volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org with the subject line ‘Hamper Deliveries’

If you’re already volunteering with us, please just add yourself to the Rota

We also need hall volunteers

As we will be packing a lot more parcels than usual at the Hall so we need a lot more hands on deck. If you have any time over Christmas to help us out. If you’re new to OMA you can sign up here: https://oxfordmutualaid.org/volunteer/ 

If you’re already volunteering with us, please just add yourself to the Rota 

We know many of you can’t help out regularly with work and other commitments but we’d love some help over the holidays if you can. Even an hour of your time can make a huge difference to someone else. We will have 60 parcels per day

OMA is only possible because of our wonderful volunteers. We are proudly a volunteer driven organisation based on solidarity and mutual support

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Keeping warm at the hall

We hope you’re all wrapping up well and keeping  warm as temperatures plummet. We want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our incredible volunteers especially those that spend long hours at the hall packing parcels in absolutely freezing temperatures.

They come week in and week out to ensure that people in crisis are shown solidarity, that they are treated with care and kindness and know that they are not alone.

As our bills are sky high it is difficult for us to heat our hall making conditions quite uncomfortable.

We will need to provide some heat to volunteers as the temperatures drop even further but we are worried about the cost. 

We’ve already had to make significant budget cuts elsewhere to manage our rising bills and we really don’t want to reduce what we are providing even further.

You can help us by donating here: https://opencollective.com/oxford-mutual-aid 

Solidarity with striking workers

With the news that food bank use is soaring amongst nurses and other vital yet low paid sectors, we wanted to show our support to those workers who are desperately struggling to make ends meet. 

Many of the people who contact us are working and yet still they can’t put food on the table. This is the devastating reality of more and more people.

At OMA, like many food banks around the country, we are struggling to keep pace with the scale of rising demand and believe that food bank use is not a long term solution to food poverty

Read more here

Major food supply shortages

Sadly, our food supply levels have been at some of the lowest they have been due to the fact that many of our suppliers can supply less and less – there is simply less food in the system.

Coupled with the fact that people are having a harder time that ever, we can not keep pace with demand. This week alone we delivered 94 emergency food parcels to nearly 300 people and regular (weekly) food support to hundreds more.

We simply do not have enough food to provide to everyone who needs it.* If things continue this way, there will be more and more people with shrinking parcels or none at all. 

That is why we are asking you to help us and your community. We really are at critical levels of supply and soon we won’t be able to provide important essentials such as fresh fruit and veg and / or protein. 

We urgently need:

1. Fresh veg and fruit

2. Tinned tomatoes

3. Tinned meat

4.Sanitary pads

Feedback

I’m very pleased with whatever you send to me, especially grateful for last Sundays parcel, which included a lovely flowering pot plant, and a cake! Sunday was my 90th Birthday!! Thank you so much.

A big thank you so much for the food parcel, cooked the chicken last night with the yams and carrots, it was lovely, again we thank you, all was good as usual.  Bless you and have a good week.

We hope you are all keeping well and warm this December. We know it can be an especially tough month for some of us so we hope that you are taking care and reaching out for support when you need it. 

We’ve had so many wonderful conversations with so many of you – at the hall packing parcels, over the phone, at the door and we are so glad and proud to be part of this wonderful community.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out for support if you need it. You are not alone.

Click here for support 

Festive activities

We are well and truly in the festive season here at OMA and we’re having such a jolly time! Thank you SO much to everyone who has donated so far! We have received lots of wonderful goodies that we will pack in hampers. However with more and more people coming forward for support every day we still require donations. Showing solidarity is about so much more than meeting basic needs. It’s about the spreading of collective joy, showing kindness and caring for  one another. Beyond being well-fed and warm, we all deserve to feel seen and supported.

If you’d like to support our Christmas efforts, there are a number of ways you can do so

1. Donate gifts, goodies and Christmas cheer! We are seeking the following items

• Christmas Chocolates / Luxury Food Items
• Socks / Scarves / Hats
• Board Games
• Colouring Books / Pencils / Markers
• Children’s Toys (0-5) 
• Children’s Toys (5-12)
• Toiletries (Gender neutral if possible) 

We are open 10 – 6 every day at the Richard Benson Hall 276 Cowley Road 

2. Donate Funds open collective platform https://tinyurl.com/vjnaptpt or our bank account! If you’d like our details please email coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org 

3. Volunteer! We’re always looking for more volunteers, especially around our busiest period. To sign up, please do so here: www.oxfordmutualaid.org/volunteer. We have plenty of roles available: from packing and / or delivering food parcels and Christmas hampers, to making calls to our contacts to doing graphics and social media and lots lots more – There is a place for everyone at OMA

4. Organise a Christmas Collection at your school, college, street, church or workplace. Lots of you have already set these up – thank you SO much! They are wonderful! and we are so grateful! There is still time to organise something! If you’re interested, please e-mail coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org and we can provide you will any items you might need 

5. Donate Items on the OMA Reverse Advent Calendar. Thanks  to our brilliant volunteer Lucy you created our very own reverse advent calendar of things we regularly need. For every day in December we’re asking you to consider donating this highly desired item!

SHORTAGES THIS WEEK: FRUIT AND VEG, TINNED SOUP, TINNED TOMATOES

Tinned Vegetables

Tinned fruit

Tinned tomatoes

Soup

Chickpeas

Cow and Gate Stage 1 

Fresh fruit and veg needed

One of our main suppliers were not able to help us out last week, which means we are very short on fresh fruit and veg. 

Without more supplies some parcels will not have any and we may need to turn people away.

If you have any capacity to donate, please bring or send donations of fruit and veg to 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR ❤️ 

Everything is welcome no matter how small, and all helps to ensure our parcels are nutritionally balanced and healthy!

Brand the bus – vote for OMA

OMA is in with the chance of winning a prize worth £50,000 in advertising! You can read more about our entry (Number 73!) here: https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/view-gallery

Not only would this be a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of the work we do to generate more support / donations but also to also to let more people know that support is available and that OMA is there to help if they are struggling

Please consider voting for us

East Oxford Farmers’ Market

Thank you so much to the wonderful East Oxford Farmers Market who hosted us this Saturday! It was great seeing so many of you there and talking to you at our stall

Big shout out to the wonderful Fran and Sophie who were there flying the flag for OMA. 

New Donation Station: Co-op, Littlemore Road

Thank you very much to the Co-op Littlemore Road store who have agreed to be a donation point for OMA. You can buy items in store to donate to OMA! 

Choose OMA to be your local cause

Are you a Co-op Member? If so, there are additional ways you can support OMA via the Local Community Fund.

When you buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes into your membership account. The same amount also goes towards like-minded organisations and local causes.

You can select a local cause you would like to support – OMA is one of the nominated causes this year.

Here is our profile: https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/71665 

And you can choose to nominate us here: https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes 

CHANGES TO SERVICE: TUESDAY & SATURDAY

We currently are not open for emergency parcels for two days a week, namely Wednesday and Saturday. 

From next week this will be changing to Tuesday and Saturday. 

This will mean that if requesting after 4pm on Monday this may not be responded to until Wednesday morning. 

We will be open on Wednesdays from 10am – 4pm for any emergency support requests.

Feedback

This week delivered over 84 Emergency Food Parcels to nearly 300 people as well as regular food parcels to nearly 1000 people via our weekly food parcels and kitchen collective meals 

Here is some feedback we received this week.

Hi I received a food parcel today and from the bottom of my heart I really cannot thank you enough for what you guys do, when I opened my door my heart felt so full and the relief that filled my body was overwhelming. I really appreciate absolutely everything I was given.

All of you in your team have given me so much during this stressful time. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it