FareShare South West needs a winter warehouse to provide vital support packages for local families this Christmas
With demand for food support surging through the Christmas holidays, we are urgently appealing for help finding temporary warehouse space to scale up seasonal work and provide vital provisions for families.
Each year, we team up with Children’s Scrapstore, Unique Voice and Children’s Kitchen, along with wonderful corporate volunteers, to pack and deliver parcels full of healthy staple foods, recipes, cooking utensils and craft kits for children in Bristol who would usually receive free school meals.
It’s a project that provides tangible, practical support and spreads some joy at time when it’s needed most; a time that can be particularly bleak for many who are struggling to make ends meet.
For the last five years, Bristol Sport generously supported us with rent-free warehousing in Ashton Gate, providing crucial space for important projects like this, which run in addition to the charity’s usual operations.
However, with the Ashton Gate site now scheduled for redevelopment, there is urgent need to find a new home to continue this vital work.
Lucy Bearn, CEO of FareShare South West, says:
“The joy and abundance we witness throughout the festive season can be particularly difficult for the many people whose reality is very different. For hundreds of families in Bristol, the school holidays mean no free school meals and a struggle just to put enough food on the table.
“Our winter parcels project acts as a lifeline to more than 1,000 families across Bristol. But more than this, it spreads joy, bringing a sense of occasion to families and communities.
“We are urgently appealing for temporary warehouse space in Bristol this November to enable us to run this special project that means so much to so many in our city and beyond.”
The winter parcels project is supported by the Holiday Activity and Food programme as part of the wider Your Holiday Hub partnership.
It makes a huge difference to families such as Leah’s*:
“It really helped, you know, because of it being Christmas and everything and with money being so tight. I was able to spend the afternoon playing with my child instead of having to worry. And it was great because it saved me on shopping!”
Essential warehouse criteria:
- Warehouse space 3,000-4,000 sq ft. in Bristol
- Available and accessible Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, for three to four weeks throughout November 2025
- Articulated lorry delivery access, with parking in a flat yard
- Food Safe flooring with a load capacity of at least 1.5 tonnes/sqm, including using pallet truck
FareShare South West would love to hear from any Bristol-based businesses or individuals who might be able to help with temporary warehouse space in November. Please get in touch by emailing info@faresharesouthwest.org.uk.
*Name has been changed
- Full warehouse criteria available
