Ferndown food bank given months to find new home

The larder has given out the equivalent of about 300,000 meals since it first opened in 2022

A food bank that helps feed hundreds of people facing financial hardship has been told to relocate.

The food larder at Ferndown Day Centre in Dorset, run by Ferndown Community Support (FCS), was given six months to find a new premises.

Building owner Care Dorset said it needed to reclaim the kitchen space for a dementia support service.

But FCS has warned the move could leave countless people without access to essential food supplies.

The food bank is run out of Ferndown Day Centre

Since first opening in 2022, the food bank has given out the equivalent of about 300,000 meals to people in need.

The service also offers pet, hygiene and baby supplies, and claims to be the UK's first medicine bank.

Those running the larder said it was a vital service, adding the news had left them in "a state of uncertainty".

Calling the decision "appalling", they warned the food bank could be forced to shut down.

"We support those in poverty, homeless individuals, families, NHS and care workers, council workers, carers and the elderly to name but a few," a spokeswoman said.

"We are obviously devastated and utterly shocked."

The larder provides both ingredients and cooked meals to people living in poverty

Following conversations with FCS, Care Dorset increased the notice period from three months to six months, but said it would eventually need the space back for Ferndown Plus - a day service for people with dementia.

The organisation, which is owned by Dorset Council, provides support for the elderly and adults with learning disabilities.

A spokesperson told the BBC: "Having no kitchen space means we're unable to provide the people we support - in most cases people with dementia - a hot, nutritious meal. They're required to bring a packed lunch.

"Everyone understands this is an emotive issue, and we have always recognised the valued work Ferndown Community Support do for people in the area.

"But Care Dorset exists for the people we support, and we do not apologise for making decisions which prioritise their wellbeing," they added.

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