A Wycombe charity celebrated its 1st birthday on the 10th of June with a tea party attended by over 50 supporters and volunteers.

The One Can Trust was set up in 2011 to support town wide community projects. Their first major project has been the One Can Trust Foodbank which in its first year has provided food parcels to over 800 adults and children in Wycombe and the surrounding areas.

The Trust were particularly pleased to accept a cheque from Bill Reid of the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation for £9631 which will be put towards the running costs of the organisation which hopes to become a charity in the next few months.

“It was great to welcome our volunteers and partners to celebrate our first birthday,” said Sarah Mordaunt, the project’s director.”

“We all look forward to a time when foodbanks won’t be required in our communities,” Sarah added. “However, we aim to be a long term, sustainable project that will continue to support families and individuals across High Wycombe and so this grant is incredibly important and a wonderful birthday present.”

The food bank provides individuals and families deemed “in crisis” by professional care-workers with short-term, free emergency food supplies of non-perishable items. The Trust works with local partners such as YMCA, Sure Start Nurseries, the Wycombe Homeless Connection and will usually deliver a food parcel within 24 hours of the request. Many of these partners joined the Trust to celebrate their birthday. They were also joined by representatives of churches and school from across the Wycombe area who collect food and donate money towards the cause. Volunteers who help sort donations, pick and pack food parcels and deliver them to the foodbank’s clients also helped the Trust celebrate.

“We are seeing an increase in requests for food every week and we will continue to need more food and volunteers,” said Sarah.

For more information on how to donate time, money or food to the foodbank, see the Trust’s new website www. onecantrust.org.uk or contact Sarah Mordaunt on 07731 789313.

Based on information supplied by Heather Stanley.