Swanage Food Bank

02/09/2026

21/08/2026

August Bank Holiday Closing - Monday August 31st

The Food Bank will be closed on Monday August 31st and will then open as usual that week on Wednesday September 2nd and Friday September 4th.

20/07/2026

Reposting to remind folk about the change happening from August 1st....

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Swanage Food Bank was established to provide emergency food parcels, and to provide support or signposting to relevant information and other places of support.

If there is a one-off emergency we will always help, with or without a referral from a relevant agency. However, at the moment, a significant number of households refer themselves, some on a regular basis. Therefore, from 1st August 2026, if you have already received a self-referred food parcel and require further help from the Food Bank, you will be asked to contact Citizens Advice to get a referral and they may explain how long that referral will last.

Citizens Advice will provide support in assessing if your household is receiving all the benefits to which you might be entitled and might also provide further assistance on managing financial affairs.

We remain committed to ensuring we help those in need, whether with food parcels or directing them to other supportive agencies.

Places where support and advice can be found include:

CITIZENS ADVICE drop-in sessions:
MONDAYS 10am - 12 noon (except bank holidays), Herston Village Hall
TUESDAYS 10am-12 noon, The Focus Centre, Chapel Lane, Swanage
FRIDAYS 9.30am – 12.30pm, Swanage Main Beach car park
No appointment necessary. Free, confidential advice.
East Dorset and Purbeck Citizens Advice
Freephone number: 0800 144 8848 (open Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm)
Online support: www.citizensadvice.org.uk (includes online benefits checker and email asking for advice)

ACCESS TO FOOD – surplus food at low cost. Register at the Larder with proof of address. (email for enquiries: [email protected] )
MONDAYS 9 - 10am St Marks School Hall, High Street (for families)
WEDNESDAYS 9.30 – 10.30am outside the Focus Centre, Chapel Lane, Swanage (open to all)

COMMUNITY PANTRY – food waste project, collecting good quality food that would otherwise go to waste. Donations welcome.
MONDAYS 10am – 12 noon Community Café, Herston Village Hall, Jubilee Road, Swanage

THE LOFT LUNCHES – a hot meal, all welcome, voluntary contributions.
WEDNESDAYS 12.30 – 2pm, The Loft Community Centre, Commercial Road, Swanage

01/07/2026

Swanage Food Bank was established to provide emergency food parcels, and to provide support or signposting to relevant information and other places of support.

If there is a one-off emergency we will always help, with or without a referral from a relevant agency. However, at the moment, a significant number of households refer themselves, some on a regular basis. Therefore, from 1st August 2026, if you have already received a self-referred food parcel and require further help from the Food Bank, you will be asked to contact Citizens Advice to get a referral and they may explain how long that referral will last.

Citizens Advice will provide support in assessing if your household is receiving all the benefits to which you might be entitled and might also provide further assistance on managing financial affairs.

We remain committed to ensuring we help those in need, whether with food parcels or directing them to other supportive agencies.

Places where support and advice can be found include:

CITIZENS ADVICE drop-in sessions:
MONDAYS 10am - 12 noon (except bank holidays), Herston Village Hall
TUESDAYS 10am-12 noon, The Focus Centre, Chapel Lane, Swanage
FRIDAYS 9.30am – 12.30pm, Swanage Main Beach car park
No appointment necessary. Free, confidential advice.

East Dorset and Purbeck Citizens Advice
Freephone number: 0800 144 8848 (open Monday – Friday 10am – 4pm)
Online support: www.citizensadvice.org.uk (includes online benefits checker and email asking for advice)

ACCESS TO FOOD – surplus food at low cost. Register at the Larder with proof of address. (email for enquiries: [email protected] )
MONDAYS 9 - 10am St Marks School Hall, High Street (for families)
WEDNESDAYS 9.30 – 10.30am outside the Focus Centre, Chapel Lane, Swanage (open to all)

COMMUNITY PANTRY – food waste project, collecting good quality food that would otherwise go to waste. Donations welcome.
MONDAYS 10am – 12 noon Community Café, Herston Village Hall, Jubilee Road, Swanage

THE LOFT LUNCHES – a hot meal, all welcome, voluntary contributions.
WEDNESDAYS 12.30 – 2pm, The Loft Community Centre, Commercial Road, Swanage

11/06/2026

08/06/2026

Citizens Advice have opened a new drop-in at the Focus Centre in the High Street, Swanage on Tuesdays. Details of all their Swanage sessions are given below:

02/06/2026

Come and join us on Thursday, and find out what you can do with oranges, lentils, feta and filo pastry……

06/05/2026

In April we were able to help 49 households in Swanage. We appreciate that the cost of living crisis has hit many families, but our supermarket donations have decreased significantly, so, if you were able to put just one item into the bins, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.