Act 14 of 30: Premier Community Supports Kirkby Storehouse Foodbank with £250 Donation

As Premier Community continues celebrating its 30th anniversary through 30 acts of kindness, support and community impact, Act 14 took us back into the heart of Kirkby-in-Ashfield. 

Our team recently donated £250 worth of food and essential items to Kirkby Storehouse Foodbank, based at the Ashwood Centre on Portland Street. 

Sam Ward and Aidan from Premier Community visited the centre to hand over the donation, meet the volunteers who keep the foodbank running and learn more about the work taking place behind the scenes every week. 

What started as a simple food donation quickly became a reminder of just how powerful local community support can be. 

Supporting Kirkby-in-Ashfield through difficult time 

Kirkby Storehouse operates from the Ashwood Centre and supports people across Kirkby-in-Ashfield who are facing financial hardship or finding it difficult to put food on the table. 

The foodbank provides emergency food parcels alongside a welcoming place where people can talk, receive support and be signposted towards other services that may be able to help. 

For our team, visiting the centre gave us the chance to see the work first-hand. 

Sam reflected 

“Today we had the pleasure of visiting Gill and the team at Ashwood Centre in Kirkby to drop off our contribution to the food bank. 

“While we were there, we had a really lovely chat with the team and it was genuinely inspiring to hear about the incredible work they do to support their community. 

“Gill kindly took us on a little tour of the centre, and it was so nice to see all the cogs turning behind the scenes and understand just how much goes into supporting local people.” 

The Ashwood Centre itself has become an important community hub in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, welcoming thousands of people each month through activities, groups and support services. 

From receiving support to giving something back 

Perhaps one of the most powerful moments of our visit came from meeting one of the Storehouse volunteers. 

Their connection to the foodbank was particularly personal. 

At an earlier point in their life, they had needed the support of the Storehouse themselves, receiving food and help during a difficult period. 

Today, they are in a very different position. 

They now volunteer at the weekly sessions, helping other people who find themselves facing similar challenges. 

Along the way, volunteering has helped them develop new skills, build confidence and gain valuable experience that has left them feeling much more positive about future employment. 

It was a brilliant example of what genuine community support can achieve. 

Sometimes helping somebody through a difficult moment does far more than solve an immediate problem. Given the right support and opportunity, that same person can later find themselves giving back and becoming part of the support network for somebody else. 

That cycle of kindness is exactly what our 30 for 30 campaign is about. 

More than food parcels 

During the visit, the team also learned that the Storehouse’s work extends beyond providing food. 

Clothing support is available, while Christmas brings another huge community effort. 

Gill explained that the team works to provide local families with the ingredients they need to enjoy a proper Christmas dinner, leaving families simply needing to add their turkey. 

For Sam, the visit provided a chance to reflect on something that can easily become lost amongst busy everyday life. 

“We all lead such busy lives, and so often we don’t get the chance to stop, look around and think about the people and things that really matter. 

“Today was a day for me to stop and appreciate two things: how lucky I am, and how incredibly selfless, kind and amazing people can be.” 

She added: 

“A huge thank you to Gill and the whole team at Ashwood Centre for welcoming us, showing us around and, most importantly, for everything you do for the community. It was a real privilege to see it first hand.” 

An open invitation to support your local foodbank 

Gill Isterling, Premier Community’s founder and now the Team Leader at Kirkby Storehouse Foodbank, thanked Premier Community for the donation and shared an important message for other people and businesses across the area. 

Foodbanks depend heavily on the generosity of their communities, and helping does not have to mean making a huge donation. 

A few tins, packets or everyday essentials added to a donation regularly can collectively make an enormous difference. 

For businesses, community groups and individuals across Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield and Ashfield, it is a simple way to support people living within the same communities in which we all work and live. 

Anyone wanting to learn more about Kirkby Storehouse Foodbank, including how the service operates and ways to offer support, can visit the Ashwood Church community page. 

People who need support can also find information about accessing Kirkby Storehouse through the Nottinghamshire Your Notts Directory.