31/05/2026
Portishead foodbank reached a major milestone on Friday 15th May when they conducted their first session at their new premises in the 1st Portishead Scouts Hut.
The foodbank, which is part of Clevedon and District Foodbank, had previously been based in 4 Combe Road.
Portishead Foodbank was founded in 2013 by the late Pat Gordon in co-ordination with several of the churches in Portishead. The Foodbank initially operated as a distribution centre with donations received being taken across to Clevedon. Parcels were then made up and collected from the warehouse in Clevedon and distributed on a Friday during the foodbank session held at the headquarters of Gordano Valley Church at 4 Combe Road.
Then during the pandemic this model changed as the community in Portishead responded with such generosity to the needs of those in their midst who were suddenly furloughed or lost their jobs.
The Foodbank received so many donations that it was impossible to transport these to Clevedon and then return with made up parcels. So the Trustees of GVC church kindly allowed the volunteers to change to a full warehouse model. Donations were received and processed in the house at No 4 and parcels were then made up and distributed.
This model has continued for many years with the support of the church, the local community and the loyal service of the many volunteers who worked in far from ideal circumstances.
But now the foodbank has been able to move to new premises sharing the Scout Hut base of 1st Portishead Scouts. This location is ideal as the Scouts and we are looking forward to working collaboratively with the Scouts and their leaders on future projects.
We have so many people to thank for helping in this move. Our manager, volunteer Donna Jenkins from Portishead, co-ordinated various local businesses to do the work necessary to transform what was the Scout’s workshop into a new stock processing area, a room indoors into another storage area for made up food parcels and the ramp necessary to connect the garage to the main building.
The local Lions club stepped up to help move the racking and stock from No 4 down to the new premises. Our own volunteers helped organise the new areas and we are gradually getting used to the new premises and systems.
We held a drop in coffee “afternoon” on that first Friday to which we invited volunteers both past and present and those from various organisations who have supported us over the years. The Trustees of the Clevedon and District Foodbank were also present to see the new premises.
We just want to express our thanks both in the present and past to the following :
Portishead Lions Club UKi, The Rotary Club of Portishead, Gordano Carpets, K&D Property Maintenance , Mike Robbins, Portishead Town Council, Our volunteers past and present, Sainsbury's, GVC, Portishead Churches Together, Portishead Church of England, Portishead Methodist - High Street, Parishes of St Francis' and St Joseph's Catholic Church, Brakes, the wider community of Portishead, the Trustees of Clevedon and District Foodbank CIO ,Portishead Youth & Community Centre.
The thank yous are in no particular order and we are sure there are probably people we have left out.If so we can only apologise and tell you how much we appreciate you.
The Foodbank
