Yarmouth Pathway mission lists Advent needs

Demand for help from the Great Yarmouth Pathway is growing, and the charity has launched its Reverse Advent Calendar to boost necessary donations to its foodbank.

Over the past two years, Great Yarmouth Pathway, which is linked to the Minster church, has grown significantly in response to the current economic climate and deprivation facing the town. Pathway cafe serves hot meals 3 days a week, with an average of 100 guests each day, resulting in over 300 free meals provided each week.
 
Last March, Pathway also opened the Yarmouth & Magdalen Foodbank in conjunction with St Mary Magdalen Church in Gorleston, and the demand has far exceeded expectations. When planning to open the team expected to provide 12-15 parcels each week, but it is actually been 40-45! Since March 2995 people have been fed and over 14.3 tons of food distributed.
 
Jennifer King, Charity Project Manager, said “This number is only expected to rise given the cost of living crisis. Pathway distributes over 4000 tins each week and we rely entirely on donations. We have been lucky enough to be given a grant so that we are able to help clients financially struggling with their gas and electricity bills, and Minster Mission is going to be on the council's map of 'warm spaces' this winter.”
 
Pathway’s latest initiative is the 'Reverse Advent Calendar', pictured right. Instead of opening the calendar each day of Advent, donors put the listed item for that day to one side and, by the end of Advent, will have collected 25 items to donate to the foodbank. Any donations can be left in the donation point in each of the churches, or brought directly to Pathway.
 
In response to the rising demand, the original portacabin is no longer big enough, and the foodbank has been loaned a food storage space in Belton for the next 6 months, free of charge, from one of the congregation at St Mary Magdalen Church.
 
Jennifer said “As we look into the new year, we have many exciting plans for 2023, which I will share in due course. I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank The Parish of Great Yarmouth's congregations for their ongoing support, donations, and prayers. Rest assured, anything given goes directly to vulnerable members of our immediate community and we are still the same small local charity serving the Parish that started in 2018.”
 
Visit pathwaygy.org.uk

Pathway is located at The Minster Mission, Admiralty Road, Great Yarmouth, NR30 3DG

E-mail office@pathwaygy.org.uk or phone 07723 120850

The photo above is courtesy of Minster Mission.

This story is based on an article on Network Yarmouth

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