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Help Andy get to the Top of Africa and a food bank reach its goal

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Andy Dawson, a volunteer at Bounds Green Food Bank, has been preparing for a sponsored climb of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the charity, which has recently been struggling financially and has had to cut back the services it provides to more than a thousand residents.

advert reading sponsor andy's charity trek

Bounds Green Food Bank serves over 1,000 people in the community & has recently been under financial strain.

Andy Dawson, local resident & long- erving volunteer, is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to raise vital funds.

Please consider donating to help us reach our goal & Andy reach the summit. Every £ helps improve the lives of our neighbours in need.

Sponsor Andy on Kindlink

The food bank, based at St Michael's Hall in Bounds Green Road, has been helping residents of the N11, N80, N87, N13 and N22 postcode areas since 2020. But earlier this year a combination of rising food prices and reduced donations forced it to cut back the frequency with which guests can come for supplies from twice a week to once.

The food bank organisers are keen to return to the previous level of service, and Andy's ascent of Africa's highest peak is among fundraising activities aimed at reaching this goal. So far people of pledged just over £3000 towards a target amount of £5000.

As well as taking on this challenging trek to raise money for the food bank, Andy will be making the climb in memory of a walking companion who died in 2022. He is under no illusions about its difficulty:

"The Kilimanjaro challenge is graded as “extreme” and will be very different from running a marathon, my last sponsored challenge. While for both a marathon and trek I can train to ensure I have the right level of fitness, living in the UK where even the highest point (Ben Nevis) is only 1,343m (4,406ft), I cannot prepare for going to a height of 5895m (19,340ft) so I have no idea how I will react to the altitude.

"However, I'm sure that every pound I raise will help me breathe more easily so I hope you will support me to the top of the mountain!"

Bounds Green Food Bank

artist's impression of the food bank in session inside the church hall with a banner reading Community hanging from the rafters

Bounds Green Food Bank is an independent community-run charity. Guests must live within the postcodes N11, N8 0__, N8 7__, N13 or N22. To find out whether you qualify for help, visit this page on the food bank's website.

The food bank is based at St Michael's Hall on the corner of Bounds Green Road and Selborne Road and is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm to 4pm (one weekly visit per guest).

The Bounds Green Food Bank story

Bounds Green Food Bank grew out of the work of residents who mobilised to provide support for all in Bounds Green during the Covid-19 pandemic. The local organisations were:

  • Bounds Green Mutual Aid (Haringey)
  • Bowes Park Community Association (Enfield)
  • Bounds Green North Community (Enfield) 

A month before the lockdown of 2020, we established a network of street groups ready to help neighbours with shopping, prescription deliveries and friendly support. Once these services were running the need for a weekly food parcel delivery service became apparent. We were helped by Palmers Green Mosque, who stepped in to provide a supply of donated food to residents.

As the end of the three month lockdown neared, we recognised that the economic fallout of the pandemic was likely to grow leaving many people in the area facing ongoing food insecurity. Establishing a Food Bank seemed to be the most appropriate response. An enthusiastic and dedicated group of coordinators came together under the joint organisation of Bounds Green Mutual Aid and Bowes Park Community Association. The Food Bank opened in June 2020 just as the lockdown was easing.

Our initial funding came from Haringey Giving and London Community Response Fund. We also have the benefit of accessing a strong network of food donation suppliers across North London. Local residents support us with food contributions, regular monthly donations, and their time volunteering.

We now have more than 350 guests visiting the food bank every week. This equates to around 1,000 adults and children locally still facing food insecurity. We are an independent community-based charity run entirely by volunteers and rely on food and cash donations - we need to reaise £60,000 each year.

Visit the Bounds Green Food Bank's website

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