Residents in Kingswinford, West Midlands, can access emergency food and household supplies every Friday morning at the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall. The weekly session runs from 9:30am to 11:30am and helps people facing sudden financial problems or delays in their regular income.
The service is run in partnership with the Black Country Foodbank and is overseen by the parish clergy; the Archdiocese of Birmingham lists the parish priest as Rev Fr Shanju Kochuparambil. To get help, residents must present a paper voucher or voucher code issued by an authorised agency (for example GPs, social workers, Citizens Advice or other approved local support organisations). Each visitor receives a three‑day supply of food and essential hygiene items, in line with Black Country Foodbank practice.
The Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Hall on Summer Hill is run by local volunteers and parishioners. Neighbours regularly drop off non‑perishable food to help keep the shelves stocked. Those donations, along with Black Country Foodbank support, allow the church to provide a local safety net for people in immediate need.
The parish traces its origins to 1950, when a foundation stone was laid for a chapel of ease on the Summer Hill site; the present church building was begun in 1980 and opened in 1983. Outside the Friday sessions, residents can also donate items via collection points at the church during the week.
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