Food Groups Are Making A Massive Difference To The Vulnerable In Our Local Communities

There is an amazing body of support for the many Food groups in Rossendale who, thanks to the generosity of Community members, Supermarkets and businesses, are making a significant difference in supporting those who need a little extra help in our communities.

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme is one such group that works on the principle of ‘local residents donating food and other essential items to benefit those in need in their own community’. The service they provide is intended as a ‘Stop Gap’ to families and individuals and not a bulk food provider.

For those who need a more regular food provision, their are larger food groups such as the RAFT Foundation, Positive Start, Trinity Baptist Church, Haslingden Community Link and Crawshawbooth Village Centre, who are better set up to provide this service. For further details on these groups, please check their respective Facebook pages

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme is supported by Rossendale Borough Council, and The Rossendale Community Support Network is heavily involved in the developing the scheme Valley wide. So if you would like to host a box in your neighbourhood, please get in touch. The scheme is pleased to announce that it has a new box sited in Helmshore. The Helmshore Food Box hosted by Faz Duffy. Below is a full list of hosts and sites around the valley. Please visit and take what you need, and donate if you can

Carla Jade Clayton – Waterfoot Food Box– suspended

Melanie Jane, Louise Dews and Naomi Kenyon– Whitworth Food Boxes – located at the top of Daniel Street, Market Street opposite Northern Joinery; 21 Riverside Court, Shawforth near Tonacliffe School; Market Street, Facit, opposite UBS – Open Daily – 10.00am-7.00pm

Emma Taylor – Whitewell Bottom Food Box/ St Anne’s Church –
Located outside Whitewell Bottom community centre on Burnley Road East BB4 9LB Open Daily – 11am-8pm

Rachel Hall – Rawtenstall Food Box – located at 86 Burnley Road Rawtenstall – Open Daily from 9.00am-8.00pm

Hazel Harding and Julia Thomas – Crawshawbooth Food Box – located outside The Village Centre, Adelaide Street Crawshawbooth – Open Daily from 9.00am-5.00pm

Samara Barnes – Haslingden Food Box – located at the top of Ryefield Avenue West – Open Daily from 10.00am- 7.00pm

Kathryn Clayton – Lumb Community Food Box – located on Burnley Road East, Lumb near Lumb Green – Open Daily from 8.30am-8.00pm

Paty Silva-Mauricio – Cherry Crescent Food Box (Townsend Fold) – located between Cherry Crescent and Chestnut Drive – Accessible 24hrs

Klair Ward – Bacup Food Box – located at 33 Pennine Road – Open Daily

Faz Duffy – Helmshore Food Box – location to be announced

Please take from the Food Boxes as you need, but please remember to respect others, and donate if you can

The Cherry Crescent Food Box Is Ready And Waiting To Support The Townsend Fold Community

The Cherry Crescent Food Box, hosted by Paty Silva Mauricio is now up and running and ready to support those in need in the Townsend Fold area. This box was the inspiration of school children who wanted to help those in need by encouraging local residents to donate to those in need in the Townsend Fold area. They have responded and the Box is full lots of food and other items donated locally and from local supermarkets. The Food Box is situated between Cherry Crescent and Chestnut Drive and is out 24hrs. Why not check it out

Food Boxes In Bacup And Cherry Crescent Townsend Fold Are Up And Running And Ready For You

The Bacup Food Box, hosted by Klair Ward, and the Cherry Crescent Food Box, hosted by Paty Silva Mauricio are now up and running and ready to support those in need in the Bacup and Townsend Fold areas. The Bacup Food Box is situated outside 33 Pennine Road and is out from 10.00am – 8.00pm every day and The Cherry Crescent Food Box is situated between Cherry Crescent and Chestnut Drive and is out 24hrs

As new boxes, other members of the Rossendale Food Box Scheme are currently helping to provide food and other items, but in order to establish itself, it will rely on regular donations from the local community that can be offered to those in need in the Bacup and Townsend Fold communities. The scheme respectfully asks that you take from the box what you need, but remember others that are also in need. Please donate if you can no matter how little, as all donations will go back into your community

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme has its own Facebook page where you can get further information on other Food Box hosts and their activities

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme – Exciting Developments

A family checking out the Waterfoot Food Box

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme has developed so much over recent weeks, and is making a massive difference at a local level to those in need in our communities.

Since Carla Jade Clayton started the Food Box Scheme, it has grown from 1 box in 1 Town to 12 boxes in 8 towns throughout the Valley. They are Waterfoot Food Box, Whitworth Food Box, Whitewell Bottom Food Box, Rawtenstall Food Box, Haslingden Food Box, Crawshawbooth Food Box, Lumb Food Box, Townsend Fold (Cherry Crescent Food Box)and Bacup Food Box. They all have their own Facebook page, so please check them out

Members of the management team of the Rossendale Community Support Network have been working with the scheme to develop and expand it Valley wide, raise its profile and promote the activities of all Food Box hosts. To that end, the Rossendale Food Box Scheme now has its own Facebook page that is a one stop site to view the activities of all the Food Box hosts, so please check it out and find out where you can make a donate or pick up food, toiletries and other items

Laura Saxton, Community Champion at ASDA Rawtenstall, has been following the progress of the Rossendale Food Box Scheme over recent weeks, and recognised it as a prime candidate for a new initiative being trialed by ASDA Head office. It is to provide food boxes containing basic food essentials to community projects that are providing support to their local communities. The Rossendale Food Box Scheme will receive a number of boxes of essentials to support their work in the community

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme has recently supported the ‘Store cupboard Masterchef Challenge’, initiated by the RAFT foundation, which was part of the Eden Project Communities Big Virtual Lunch, a nationwide initiative to get people cooking meals aimed at bringing communities together through shared experiences, and encouraging communities to support each other. The Food Box scheme hosts distributed bags supplied by Raft and where necessary provided additional ingredients sufficient to make a meal. Some great photos of some of the results can be seen on the Facebook page

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme is run by volunteers who are dedicated to supporting their communities. They are reliant on you supporting your local Food Box in donating food and other item to help those in need in your community, so please support your local Food Box. If you would like to set up a Food Box in your area, please get in touch. It can really make a difference

ASDA Choose The Rossendale Food Box Scheme To Pilot New Food Box Donation

Laura Saxton, Community Champion at ASDA Rawtenstall, has been following the progress of the Rossendale Food Box Scheme over recent weeks, and recognised it as a prime candidate for a new initiative being trialed by ASDA Head office. It is to provide food boxes containing basic food essentials to community projects that are providing support to their local communities.

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme is seen as an ideal candidate, as its basic objective is to encourage local residents to donate food and other items to their local Food Box for redistribution to those in need within their community. The additional donations from ASDA will make a massive difference to the effectiveness of the scheme that is seen as essential in the current circumstances, but is likely to be developed and expanded going forward.

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme now has boxes in Waterfoot, Whitworth, Whitewell Bottom, Rawtenstall, Crawshawbooth, Haslingden, Lumb, Townsend Fold and Bacup. For details, check out the Rossendale Food Box Scheme Facebook Page. The scheme is looking to expand to other towns not currently covered, so if you are interested in joining the scheme, get in touch.

The Rossendale Food Box Scheme Takes Up The Big Virtual Lunch Challenge

The Eden Project Communities has set a challenge to get involved with their Big Virtual Lunch Challenge. The Big Lunch is the UK’s thanksgiving weekend for neighbours and communities – a time where people come together to celebrate community connections and get to know one another a little better. Now more than ever, we need to make time for each other, so let’s get the nation talking over a cuppa and a bite to eat and have some fun with The Big Virtual Lunch. (Check out http://www.thebiglunch.com for further details)

The RAFT foundation are kindly providing packs containing meal ingredients and recipes. The packs will be available from The Rossendale Food Box Scheme hosts to those in their communities who would like to get involved. You can pick up your packs from your nearest Food Box host listed on the Rossendale Food Box Scheme Facebook page

Cherry Crescent Food Box Ready And Waiting

There’s a new addition to the Rossendale Food Box Scheme and its on Cherry Crescent Rawtenstall. The Help Box, as it was known, was the idea of Pati Silva-Mauricio and the children of the local Children’s Home who really wanted to help those in their community that needed support. The Cherry Crescent Food Box is now a part of the Rossendale Food Box Scheme, and Pati is set up to deliver on what the children wanted. To provide Food and other items to those who need it in the Rawtenstall area. The box is sited between Cherry Crescent and Chestnut Drive and is accessible 24hours. Donations are always welcome

Prizes Announced For Rossendale’s Got Talent Online

As a way of boosting community spirit and showcasing the amazing talent that exists in Rossendale, The Rossendale Community Support Network are to hold a ‘Rossendale’s Got Talent Online’ competition to provide a showcase for that talent and raise much needed funds for the Rossendale Hospice. To donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/peter-sweetmore

The competition will be open to all non-professional acts and will be run through social media and will require entrants to submit a 3 minute (max) video of their performance. Each will be judged by a panel from the world of Performing Arts and a shortlist drawn up from which the public will vote for a winner. There will be prizes for the top three, but more important, exposure to the public. So If you have a talent that you would like to share. Music, dance, comedy or something more unusual and you are aged 5 or over, then please submit a video to https://www.dropbox.com/request/7stBHCwP0ZmXBiJFduTf . Terms & Conditions can be found on the Rossendale’s Got Talent Facebook page

The Sponsors for the awards are GrowTraffic Ltd and James Killelea & Co. The Prizes to be awarded for the competition winners are: 1st Prize – £200; 2nd Prize – £100 and 3rd Prize – £50. So get those entries in. Closing date Friday 19th June at 12.00 noon

Appeal For Acts For Rossendale’s Got Talent Online

As a way of boosting community spirit and showcasing the amazing talent that exists in Rossendale, The Rossendale Community Support Network are to hold a ‘Rossendale’s Got Talent Online’ competition to provide a showcase for that talent and raise much needed funds for the Rossendale Hospice

The competition will be open to all non-professional acts and will be run through social media and will require entrants to submit a 3 minute (max) video of their performance. Each will be judged, and a shortlist drawn up from which the public will vote for a winner. There will be prizes for the top three, but more important, exposure to the public. So If you have a talent that you would like to share. Music, dance, comedy or something more unusual and you are aged 5 or over, then please submit a video to https://www.dropbox.com/request/7stBHCwP0ZmXBiJFduTf

We are also pleased to announce that GrowTraffic have kindly agreed to sponsor the event.

GrowTraffic is an SEO and Digital Marketing agency with a difference. In recent months, thanks to the Coronavirus crisis, the world has moved online. Your customers are now online looking for your products and services and, if your business isn’t there, you can bet your competitors’ is. If you’re looking to maximise the potential of the internet to help you grow your business and find new customers, then GrowTraffic can help. Contact us at info@growtraffic.co.uk or on 0161 706 0012 and start using your website and your social media profiles to reach your target audience.”

YOU CAN NOW SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY (Closes Fri. 19th June 12 midday)

 To donate: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/peter-sweetmore

 BEFORE you send your video in please read & accept the rules below.

 Recent videos only: Please only submit a video filmed since you’ve been stuck at home. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit ‘rough and ready’ – judges will take this into consideration so don’t worry. No professional videos.

 One, short video: Please submit one video, something less than 3 minutes long (if possible). This should be plenty for the judges to get a good measure of your talents! Please introduce yourself at the start and provide your name, age. A contact email & phone No. will be required separately.

 Only submit your own entry: Please don’t submit an entry for another person – with the exception of a child or in instances where they are not able to upload the video themselves. Please request their permission in doing so beforehand though.

 No entry fee: There is no entry fee… but the sole purpose of this competition is to raise money for Rossendale Hospice. If you submit an entry, like someone’s video, or just feel generous, please DONATE via the following link. You choose the amount!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/peter-sweetmore
 You will see it’s for the Hospice when you go on this page.

Submitting entries: Please submit your entry via the below Dropbox link. It will request name details when doing so – this is used purely for act identification purposes and for display if they appear on our Facebook page. The email address entered is not conveyed to ourselves by Dropbox.

https://www.dropbox.com/request/7stBHCwP0ZmXBiJFduTf

Keep it legal, clean and safe: Please don’t carry out acts that could cause harm or break any laws (including current lockdown advice).

 Please don’t mind us showing off your skills: During the competition we’ll show the rest of Facebook some of the amazing videos you’ve sent in.

 Entry submission dates: Entries can be submitted between Monday 1st June to Friday 19th June 12 midday inclusive (strict cut off). The final rounds will then follow in the next 2 weeks so please check back to the Facebook page for details.

 Use of videos: Once entries are submitted, their only use will be for judging purposes, displaying on social channels, or by external media organisations in relation to covering this competition. Obviously any videos/names entered & placed on social media instantly enter the public domain. Please consider this when sending entries in.
 Keep it clean and let’s see YOUR talent: Absolutely no profanity, political or insensitive subject matter will be permitted. No lip-syncing or TikTok mashup videos.
 Any talent is wanted: In true ‘Got Talent’ spirit we want acts of all ages and types. Please don’t hesitate to send – there are so many different talents to be appreciated.
 Submission of entries will automatically assume your permissions for the organisers to use in any promotion / publicity at any time.
 The Judges decisions will be final.

Best of luck everyone!!!!

A Listing Of Rossendale’s Food Groups And Locations

As many will know, there is an extensive network of Food Groups in the Valley who are dedicated to supporting those in need and vulnerable in our community. Please note that Food Boxes can only provide a limited provision of food, and for those who need a regular delivery, please contact one of the other food groups on the list below. They all having their own Facebook pages where they can be contacted for help or for much needed donations

Haslingden
Haslingden Community Link
Haslingden Food Box
Veterans In Communities

Crawshawbooth
Crawshawbooth Village Centre
Crawshawbooth Food Box

Rawtenstall
Positive Start
The RAFT foundation
Rawtenstall Food Box

Bacup
Trinity Baptist Church

Waterfoot
Waterfoot Food Box

Edgeside
St Anne’s Church

Whitworth
Whitworth Food Box

Whitewell Bottom
Whitewell Bottom Food Box

You can also visit the Rossendale Community Support Network Facebook page for a range of help, information and support.

Rossendale Connected can also provide support and contacts through their Facebook page or through their contact number 01706 227016