Join our fight against food poverty this Christmas by taking part in our Reverse Advent Calendar campaign!
Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for people living in food poverty. As part of our ongoing commitment to fighting Holiday Hunger, we’ve created a Reverse Advent Calendar campaign in order to support food banks across the country in the run up to Christmas. We’d love you to get involved!
To help guide which items of food, hygiene products and toiletries to donate, we’ve created this FREE donation tracker which you can download, print and put it up in your kitchen/office (get your household or colleagues involved too!) then tick the items off one by one:
The suggested items are made up of some of the most common items needed by food banks – but they are just a guide!
Please do reach out to your nearest food bank and establish if there is high demand for any particular items, establish when the last donation date before Christmas is and drop off food at the the time & location they suggest.
To help guide this nationwide effort, we’ve been in contact with food banks across the country to gather this information in order to make the campaign as effective as possible.
The table below (updated weekly) details what donations would be useful, where you should drop them off and has information on Christmas volunteering opportunities:
| Location | Donation Drop Off Location | Times for Drop Off | Last Donation Date | Foods Needed | Volunteers Needed |
| North Belfast | Duncrue Industrial Estate Unit 8 2 West Bank Road BELFAST BT3 9JL | Monday Evenings 6:15-6:45pm | No Specific date but would prefer donations early in December | – Custard – Rice pudding – Diluting juices – Long life milk – Rice – Tinned fish – Dried mash | Yes! Volunteers for the Christmas Collection on the 18-20th November (particularly someone with a van). Just contact [email protected] |
| West Belfast | Conway Mill Reception, 5-7 Conway Street Belfast BT13 2DE. | 8am-9pm every day | – Tinned fruit – Tea bags – UHT milk -Breakfast cereals – Sugar – Toiletries – Baby food | ||
| Birmingham – Smethwick | Holy Trinity Church, Church Hill St, Smethwick B67 7AH | Tuesday and Friday, 10-11am Wednesday 10am-2pm | Preferably the 17th December | – Pasta Sauce – Tinned Tomatoes – Tinned Fruit – Rice – Puddings – Custard *Can’t accept Clothing* | |
| Birmingham – Central | Birmingham City Church, Parade, B1 3QQ | Monday – Thursday, 10am-3pm | 17th December | – Tin Soup – Tin Spaghetti – Pasta Sauce – Cereal – Chickpeas/Lentils – Tinned Fish – Rice – Rice pudding – Custard – Tinned Fruit – UHT Milk – Squash – Crisps – Noodles | |
| Bradford North | Unit 12, Newlands House Two, Inspire Bradford Business Park, Bradford BD10 0JE | Mondays, 9:30am-12:30pm | – Long Life Fruit Juice – Tinned Tomatoes – Sponge puddings – Crisps – Dried Milk Powder – UHT milk – Biscuits | ||
| Bradford Central | Jubilee Centre, Jermyn Street, BD1 4EJ Just behind the cathedral. | 11am-2pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday | – Squash – Puddings – Tinned Fish – Tinned Tomatoes – UHT Milk – Rice – Tinned Soup – Chocolate -Toiletry Sets – Stuffing – Cheese Biscuits – Christmas Pudding – Christmas Cake – Nuts – Cranberry Sauce | ||
| Brighton | Calvary Church Building, Stanley Road, Brighton, BN1 4NJ. | Mon- Wed, 9am-5pm | – Pasta – Noodles – Rice -Fruit – Desserts – Coffee – Hot Chocolate – Shampoo – Soap -Deodorant | ||
| Whitehawk – Brighton | Valley Social Centre, Whitehawk Way, Whitehawk, Brighton, BN2 5HE | 10am-2pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays | 9th December | – Toiletries (e.g. shampoo, conditioner) – Christmas items (e.g. desserts, celebration boxes) | Yes! Volunteers over New Year are very welcome. Just email [email protected] to get involved. |
| South and East Bristol | St Mark’s Church, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TJ | Wednesdays and Fridays, 12:30-3pm | – Long Life Milk – Chocolate – Shampoo – Custard – Washing Powder/ Liquid (For Clothes) – Tinned Vegetarian Meals – Instant Coffee – Long Life Juice – Instant Mash | ||
| North Bristol | Patchway Town Council, Callicroft House, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5DQ | 9:30am -4:30pm | – Long Life / Uht Milk – Tinned Potatoes – Tinned Fruit – Sponge Puddings – Washing-Up Liquid – Deodorant – Crisps | Yes! 1. Tesco Winter Collection (18th-20th November) 2. Wrapping Christmas Hamper Boxes (29th November) 3. Making Christmas Hampers (6th December) | |
| Cardiff | Warehouse Unit N5, Cardiff Bay Business Centre Titan Road Cardiff CF24 5EJ | 9.30am – 1.30pm Monday- Thursday | 22nd December | – UHT Milk – Long Life Fruit Juice – Sponge Puddings – Tinned Tomatoes – Jars Of Coffee (110g-250g) – Microwaveable Rice – Confectionery (Chocolate/Sweets) – Savoury Snacks (Crisps, Crackers Etc) – Rice Pudding – Shampoo – Deodorant | |
| Cardiff – Vale | Bethany Hall, Tennyson Road, Barry, CF62 9TN | 9:30am- 12:30pm Monday- Friday | 23rd December | – Rice Pudding – Tinned Potatoes – Tinned Hot Meals (e.g. curry etc) | |
| Mid-Cheshire | Mid Cheshire Foodbank Warehouse, Unit 14, The Business Centre, Barlow Drive, Winsford | Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am – 12pm | 20th December | – Dried snack meals – Long Life Milk -Fruit Juice – Tinned Fruit – Pasta Sauce – Tea | We are particularly looking for people to help in the warehouse, including a warehouse manager. |
| Coventry | Progress Way, Binley Industrial Estate, Coventry, CV3 2NT | 8:30am-4pm Monday- Friday | 23rd December | – Tinned Vegetables – Tinned Soup – Tinned Fruit – Packets Of Mash – Tinned Potatoes – Uht Long Life Milk – Puddings | Yes! On the 18th,19th and 20th of November. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/WUQscZZ1KMzSEfPP8 |
| Edinburgh – North East | 19 Stewartfield Edinburgh, EH6 5RQ | 9am-12pm Monday -Friday | 22nd December | -Tins of Custard/Rice Puddings -Tins of meat -UHT Milk -Sweet and Savoury Snacks – Biscuits -Shower Gel | |
| Edinburgh – South East | Blythswood Care, 47 Southhouse Broadway, Edinburgh, EH17 8AS | 10am-1:30pm Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays | 23rd December | – UHT milk – Tinned meat | |
| Glasgow – South East | Glasgow Elim Church 42 Inglefield Street, Govanhill, G42 7AT | Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am- 12pm | 13th December | – Cooking Oil – Tinned rice pudding and custard – UHT milk – Tinned Fish -Tea Bags/ Coffee – Chocolate | |
| Leeds – South and East | Leeds South and East Foodbank, Unit 18 Millshaw Park Avenue, Millshaw Industrial Estate, LS11 0LR | 10am- 2pm Monday – Thursday | Festive Items: 22nd November All other Donations: 16th December | – UHT Milk – Long Life Fruit Juice – Tinned custard – Tinned Rice Pudding – Toilet roll – Toiletries (shower gel, deodorant etc.) – Tinned vegetables – Biscuits – Coffee Festive items: – Advent Calendars – Selection boxes – Festive biscuits | |
| Leicester | The Kings Centre, 56 Bull Head Street, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 1PA | 9am-2pm Weekdays | – UHT Fruit Juice – Pot Noodles – 1ltr Uht Milk – Packet Instant Mash Potato – Curry Sauce – Tinned Meat – Tinned Potatoes – Tinned Rice Pudding – Tinned Fruit – Tinned Carrots – Tinned Mixed Veg – Soup – Jams, Marmalade And Spreads – Feminine Hygiene Products | ||
| North Liverpool | St Andrew’s Community Network Clubmoor Community Centre 16 Larkhill Lane Liverpool L13 9BR | 9am-5pm (Ideally before 3pm) Weekdays | 24th December | – Tinned Potatoes – Tinned Vegetables (Toms, Carrots, Peas, Sweetcorn) – Mashed Potato – Fruit Juice – Coffee – Curry And Pasta Sauce – Custard – Cup A Soups – Noodles – Jam | Yes! Contact [email protected] |
| London – Westminster | Westminster Foodbank, Westminster Chapel, Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E 6BS | 9am-3:30pm Mondays and Thursdays Email Ahead at [email protected] | Currently not accepting any food donations but still accepting financial support | ||
| London – Waterloo | Oasis Centre (Hub Coffee House) 1 Kennington Road, SE1 7QP | 8am-4pm Weekdays | 23rd December | – Shampoo – Instant Coffee – Custard – Sanitary – Jam – Tinned fish – Cooking oil – Tinned fruit | |
| Manchester – Greater Manchester | FareShare Greater Manchester, New Smithfield Market, Openshaw Manchester M11 2WJ | 10am-6pm Monday to Friday or by arrangement at another time (call 07917237533) | Ongoing need for donations including January | – Tea – Coffee – Sugar – Biscuits – Long life milk – Juice – Hot choc drinks – Tinned tomatoes – Tinned chick peas – Pot noodles – Pot porridge – Personal hygiene items – Chocolates – Long life treats | Volunteers are needed all the time, please call 0161 223 8200 option 6 or go to our website www.faresharegm.org.uk/volunteer/ |
| Manchester – South Central | Wesley Enterprise Centre, Old York Street, Hulme M15 5BP | Prefer Donations Early in December/ November | – Tinned Fruit – Tinned Tomatoes – Uht Milk (1 Litre) – Tinned Potatoes | ||
| Newcastle – Gateshead | Unit 52 Team Valley Business Centre, Earlsway, NE11 0QH | 8am-12pm Mondays and Wednesdays 7pm-8pm Tuesdays | 20th December | – Coffee – UHT Milk – Tinned fruit | |
| Sheffield – S6 | Teaching Hall, 6 Gilpin St, Sheffield, S6 3BL | 8am-3pm Monday – Friday | – UHT Milk – Long Life Fruit Juice – Toiletries – Tinned Tomatoes – Tinned Fruit | ||
| Sheffield – Burngreave | Burngreave Foodbank Rock Christian Centre 177-195 Spital Hill Sheffield S4 7LF | 10:30am-4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday | – UHT Milk (1 Litre) – Dried Milk Powder – Dried Lentils – Sugar – Cooking Oil – Dried Mashed Potato Or Tinned – Potatoes – Tinned Soup – Tinned Fruit – Tinned Tomatoes – Tinned Rice Pudding/Custard – Shower Gel /Shampoo /Deodorant /Sanitary Towels (Not Tampons)/ Razors | Yes! Email [email protected] | |
| Sunderland | Foodbank Warehouse, Units 7/9 First Avenue, Drum Industrial Estate, Chester le Street, DH2 1AG | 9:30am – 2pm Weekdays | No last date, but the earlier the better | – Tinned Ham – Small Christmas Cake (Slab) – Christmas Crackers – Peanuts / Crackers – Long Life Fruit Juice – Long Life Milk Uht – Sponge Pudding – Toilet Rolls – Toiletries *Can’t accept clothing* | |
| South Tyneside | Hampden Street Operations Centre, South Shields, NE33 4JR | 9am-3pm Weekdays | – UHT milk – Coffee – Sugar – Dilutable Juices | ||
| York | York Foodbank Unit 5 Sterling Park Bleriot Way Clifton Moor York YO30 4WU | 9am-1pm Tuesdays and Thurdays | Final date is 24th December (but preferably by the 16th December) | – Powdered milk – Instant mash – Sponge puddings – Long life fruit juice *Can’t accept Clothing* |
If you can’t find your location on this table, then head to this website to find your nearest food bank. If you would like the food bank you run/volunteer for to appear on the list above please email [email protected].
Together, we can make a huge difference to the lives of people living in food poverty this Christmas. Thank you for your continued support.
You can also follow the progress of our campaign via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and here on our blog where we’ll be uploading suggested recipes and featuring some of our favourite social enterprise brands who stock the products we’re encouraging you to donate 🙂
