Newham food bank supports residents during coronavirus pandemic

The manager of a furniture re-use project supported by L&Q has started a food bank to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Diye Wariebi manages Bright Sparks, which has partnered with L&Q to run Reclaim at the lane. The joint project repairs furniture that might otherwise have been thrown away and sells it on at affordable prices.

Diye is now offering a food bank service to help people in Newham during the coronavirus pandemic, and is encouraging L&Q staff to put him in contact with residents who may be able to benefit from the service.

He said: “It’s obvious that people who need cheap furniture also need cheap food, particularly in times like these. It’s been busy – all of the food that was donated yesterday has gone. It comes from our partners and would otherwise have been thrown away, but it’s good healthy food that should be eaten and not wasted.

“We’re still running the furniture project, but because of the new restrictions and social distancing, it’s only me in the Newham warehouse so I’m focusing on the food bank now.”

Diye runs the food bank on Wednesdays between 11am and 1pm at the Bright Sparks premises, 122-162 Cranberry Lane, Canning Town, E16 4PE. The food is provided by organisations including City Harvest and The Felix Project.

You can read more about Reclaim the Lane, which runs furniture re-use and volunteer upskilling projects in Finsbury Park, Newham and Waltham Forest, here.

Diye can be contacted at diye@digibridge.co.uk