How to get help
If you need help from our foodbank there are a few simple steps to follow.
1. The most important step is to get a foodbank voucher.
In order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation we work with local agencies. If they feel you are struggling to put food on the table, they will issue you with a foodbank voucher. The local agency can also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis.
If you have children attending a local school, check if your school can make the referral for you. Your GP, health visitor, or social care worker may also be able to help you get a foodbank voucher. If you call or email our foodbank we can talk through your situation and put you in touch with a relevant local agency.
2. Arrange a visit to the referral agency.
They will discuss your situation and supply you with a foodbank voucher where appropriate.
If they feel you are struggling to put food on the table, they will issue you with a foodbank voucher. The local agency can also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis. Agencies we regularly work with include:
- Jobcentre Plus Chesterfield
- Pathways of Chesterfield
- Chesterfield Citizens Advice
- DLNR – CRC (Probation)
- CBC Neighbourhoods
- Team/Tenancy Sustainment Team
- Derbyshire Recovery Partnership
- The Elm Foundation
- Adullam Homes Housing Association
- Chesterfield Mental Health Team
- Children’s Services Chesterfield Area Office
- Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Trust
- P3 Charity Tenancy Support
- Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre
If you can’t afford food, you can call 0808 208 2138 (freephone) to speak to a trained and independent Citizens Advice agent (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Please note this number is for people who do not have enough money for food – if you are a local organisation or charity that works with people who might need the foodbank, please contact us directly.
3. Bring your foodbank voucher to your nearest foodbank centre.
You can find a list of our local centres and opening times here. When you arrive, we’ll welcome you with a warm drink and our trained volunteers will chat with you about your situation. We’ll also discuss any dietary needs you may have and exchange your foodbank voucher for a parcel of three days of emergency food. We’ll also help to support you in any other ways that we can. Most of our foodbank centres offer a cafe style environment and our aim is to provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis.
Agency Contact Details.
For contact details and a short description of what agencies do see below:
Care Services Services |
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Derbyshire County Council Leaving Care Service | Our service is specific to young people who have been in care and have been referred to the leaving care service as care leavers, also we support unaccompanied asylum seekers placed under Derbyshire County Council care | Call 01629 533190 | Website |
Mental Health Services |
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Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Trust | A range of services around mental health and emotional wellbeing including:- drug and alcohol problems, eating disorders, learning disabilities, autism assessments, mother and baby mental health issues (tbc) | Call 01332 623700 | Website |
Chesterfield Mental Health Prevention and Personalisation | Support clients with mental health difficulties, by assessing their social care needs and offering support through signposting, Mental Health Enablement Plans, or through funded care packages. Also responsible for the safeguarding of vulnerable adults with mental health difficulties. | Call 01629 537555 | n/a |
Chesterfield AMHP Team | Carry out mental health assessments (including to assess whether individuals need to be detained as part of their treatment). | Call 01629 537555 | Website |
Acute and Community Care Services, Killamarsh | Mental health support for individuals referred to the clinic by other healthcare professionals. | Call 0114 2474886 | n/a |
Housing & Homelessness Issues |
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Pathways of Chesterfield | Support for homeless people – help with accommodation, rough sleeper breakfast, benefits help, emergency clothing and shoes, Tuesday social group, CAB advice and onsite nurse etc (tbc) | Call 01246 498204 | Website |
CBC – Neighbourhoods Team | Tenancies, anti-social behaviour (complaints & enforcement), migrant information etc (tbc) | Call 01246 345068 | Website |
Adullam Housing | Accommodation hubs for care leavers to promote independent living. Also, tenancy related support in accommodation within the community for those aged 18 – 25 | Call 01298 73798 | Website |
Lighthouse Homes | Immediate, medium and long-term accommodation for homeless men in a safe and structured environment. | Call 01246 205793 | Website |
South Yorkshire Housing Association | A housing association housing people with general and specific needs | Call 0114 2900296 | Website |
North East Derbyshire District Council Housing | General housing advice and information about housing options. Homeless prevention and homelessness. Assessment of entitlement to housing for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Provision of temporary accommodation for homeless people considered to be in priority need for housing. |
Call 01246 217723 | Website |
Benefits Advice |
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Chesterfield Jobcentre Plus |
Benefits claims. Located at: Markham House |
Call 0800 169 0190 | Website |
Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre | Welfare Benefits & Tax Credits Completion of Claim Forms Representation at Benefit Tribunals Liaising with the Department of Work and Pensions, Inland Revenue and Local Authorities On-site Redundancy Advice Advice and Information on Union Membership Benefits and Universal Credit AdviceCompletion of claim forms Representation at Benefit tribunals Liaising with the Department of Work and Pensions, Inland Revenue and Local Authorities On-site redundancy advice Advice and information on Union Membership |
Call 01246 231441 | Website |
Children & Young People |
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Children’s Centres – Chesterfield Area Office | Families and single parents with children 0-5 (tbc) | Call 01629 537702 | Website |
Addiction |
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Derbyshire Recovery Partnership | Help for people with drug or alcohol dependency or people that know them (tbc) | Call 01246 34569 | Website |
Advice and Legal Support |
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Chesterfield Citizens Advice | Miscellaneous specialist advice and signposting. Benefits, consumer issues, debt & money, employment, energy efficiency, health & disability, housing, immigration, legal & tax (tbc) | Call 0300 456 8437 | Website |
Derbyshire Law Centre | Legal support including employment, debt, discrimination, housing & homelessness, immigration, repossessions. | Call 01246 550674 | Website |
Miscellaneous |
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DLNR CRC Probation | Supervise people with community based sentences and on licence (tbc) | Call 0121 2734116 | Website |
The Elm Foundation | Support adults and children who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse. | Call 01246 540464 | Website |
P3 | Socially excluded and vulnerable people (tbc) | Call 01246 452571 | Website |
Chesterfield Careline & Support | Support for vulnerable/elderly people to live independently. Support officers offer a needs led service assisting people to access to other services, making referrals, maximising income, arranging aids and adaptations reducing risk and social isolation. We also offer our Careline emergency alarm service enabling customers to get help and reassurance 24/7 every day of the year, as part of this we also have a falls recovery service where an uninjured faller can be assisted back up safely reducing the wait for and resources of the emergency services. | Call 01246 34569 | Website |
Acorn Housing | Support to identify and address barriers such as: • Housing • Domestic Abuse • Substance Misuse • Ex Offenders • Mental Health Discretionary fund that can support with addressing barriers and pay for equipment and training including: • Travel • Childcare • Private counselling • Accredited courses • Mobile Phones • Household equipment such as skips, beds, etc In house training and employability support including, • ICT training • Health and Social Care level 1 • Universal credit support course • Weekly job clubs |
Call 01246 520530 | Website |
If you have any further questions our FAQ’s page may help, or feel free to give us a call.