Food bank donation and distribution points
Find out about the COVID-19 restrictions.
Some food banks have had to change their opening times and offer due to Covid-19.This page has been updated accordingly.
All of the borough's food banks are staffed by volunteers and rely on donations from the public. If you are able to support a food bank please take your food donation to one of the organisations listed below.
Find out how to get help if you are struggling to get food and essentials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What donations are needed by food banks
- Milk (UHT or powdered)
- Sugar (500g)
- Fruit juice (carton)
- Tea bags and instant coffee
- Tinned meat and fish
- Tinned fruit
- Soup
- Pasta sauces
- Tinned pulses, such as lentils, beans, chickpeas
- Instant mashed potato
- Jam
- Tomatoes (tinned)
- Cereals
- Rice pudding (tinned)
- Rice, pasta and couscous
- Biscuits or snack bars
- Sponge pudding (tinned)
- Vegetables (tinned)
- Custard (tinned)
Food banks and donation points
Lewisham food bank
If you need a food parcel, Lewisham Foodbank can support you. You will need to ask for a referral through someone like your GP, teacher, health visitor, housing officer, advice worker or social worker.
If you are unsure who to ask, you can call the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureau foodbank referral helpline on 0808 208 2138. Advice Lewisham and Community Connections Lewisham, can make a referral on your behalf.
Food for collection at the different sites, delivery where needed only.
- Salvation Army (Deptford) Mary Ann Gardens, Deptford SE8 3DP Monday 12–2pm
- Salvation Army (Lewisham) 4 Albion Way, Lewisham SE13 6BT Tuesday 10am–12pm
- St John the Baptist Church, 353 Bromley Road SE6 2RP Wednesday 12–2pm
- Hope Centre, 118 Malham Road, Forest Hill SE23 1AN Wednesday 11am–2pm and Thursday 11am–2pm
- Salvation Army Catford, 23 - 25 Brownhill Road SE6 2HE Friday 10am–12pm
Food donation drop-off available Monday/Tuesday/Friday, 9am–5.30pm. Wednesday/Thursday 2–5.30pm.
Hope Centre, Malham Road, Forest Hill SE23 1AN
Donate to Lewisham Food Bank online.
Alternatively, donate to any Lewisham Food Bank distribution point (see below).
Name | Address | Opening Hours |
Jay's Budgens | 400 Brockley Road, SE24 2RR | 0700 to 2100 |
Londis | 317 - 319 Evelyn Street, SE8 5RA | 1000 to 1700 |
Sainsbury's | 263D New Cross Road, SE14 5UQ | 0800 to 2200 |
Sainsbury's Local | 313 - 315 Kirkdale, SE26 4QB | 0700 to 2300 |
Sainsbury's Local | 9 Staplehurst Road, SE13 5ND | 0700 to 2300 |
Sainsbury's Local | 57 - 59 Honor Oak Park, SE23 1EA | 0700 to 2300 |
Tesco Superstore | 209 Lewisham Road, SE13 7PY | 0600 to midnight |
Tesco Superstore | Croydon Road, Beckenhma, BR3 4AA | 24 hours |
Waitrose | 1 Southend Lane, Beckenham, Br1 1SD | 0730 to 2200 |
Living water christian food service
Honor Oak Community Centre, 50 Turnham Road, SE4 2JD
Anyone making a request will need to provide their: name, telephone, family size. Dietary needs catered for.
Opens fortnightly on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8.30pm
To make a request email Lwccfoodservice@gmail.com or text 07783441973.
Barley Loaves food service
Barley Loaves Food Service is closed until further notice.
LewCAS food bank
For refugees and asylum seekers.
Food distributions on Tuesday mornings at St John's Church SE8 4EA, 11am–1pm.
Contact Peter on peter.stjohnsdeptford@gmail.com or 07786160993 to refer an individual.
Whitefoot & Downham community food project
Hope Church Downham (formerly Christian Centre), Downham BR1 5SF
Contact: info@wdcfplus.org.uk or 020 8698 7945
Criteria: anyone in hardship living in the Whitefoot or Downham area.
Food distribution: Thursdays from 7pm to 8.30pm. No delivery, pre-packed bags.
Eliot Bank and Kelvin Grove children's centre food bank
Provide food and basic essentials for people in need in the local community. You can self-refer but you will need to register with the centre when you arrive.
Grove Children's Centre, Kirkdale, Sydenham SE26 6BB.
Wednesdays, 12am to 2pm.
Contact: 02086130172.
Salvation Army (deptford church and community centre)
144 Deptford High Street, SE8 3DP
Provide food for anyone experiencing financial hardship in the SE8 area. Food parcels prepared Monday morning for collection by appointment.
Accept referral from agencies or self-referral. Contact deptford@salvationarmy.org.uk or call 02086925263.
St Peter’s Church Brockley food bank
43 Wickham Road, Brockley, SE4 1LT
A social supermarket for people in the SE4 area on Wednesdays. Pay £3 membership weekly fee to choose groceries to last a week.
You can request support from St Peter's Church Brockley on their website.
The helping hands food bank
Run by Action for Refugees and Good Shephers St Peter's Church Lee. This food bank supports, refugee, asylum-seekers and vulnerable migrant families.
To make a referral or request support email: foodbank@afril.org.uk or call 07872 161 271.
We care food bank and pantry
50 Friendly Street, Deptford, SE8 4DR
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10-4pm offers a social pantry where members pay £5 for shopping as well as a foodbank (referral only) call 07871187162 for more information.
Catford Salvation Army
23 - 25 Brownhill Road SE6 2HE
Fridays 10-1 for emergency food parcels.
Chinbrook action residents team food bank
Available to Chinbrook residents only. Weekly parcels on a Wednesday. Contact 07455 213291 or paul@chartbiglocal.org.uk.
Feed the hill
Deliver free food boxes to local housebound people in SE4 and SE14 for those self-isolating or experiencing food poverty. http://telegraphhillmutualsupport.co.uk/request-help/ text 07748713212.
Grove Park emergency food bank project
The World of Life Church, Rehoboth Building, 72a Mayeswood Road, SE12 9RP
Available for people of Grove Park and the surrounding area. Bring one form of ID and one proof of address. 07930 958097 / info@wordoflife-lcc.org
Open Fridays 12-2pm.
Pie and Mash the field mutual aid
Provide food parcels for anyone in the Deptford area. To request help piemashfield@riseup.net 07857024435.
Rehoboth church
159 Perry Rise SE23 2QU
Open Thursdays 11-1pm Call Pastor Carla Thomas on 0753398074.
Rastafari movement UK food and wellbeing first
Offering African Caribbean cultural food for vulnerable people. Referrals to Sis Marcia at rmukwellbeing@gmail.com 07947 681 875. Deliveries once a week Tuesday evenings.
Seventh Adventist church
430 Lewisham High Street, SE13 6LJ
Open Thursdays 5-6.30pm . Provide 2 day supply of groceries.
Community stores
Members pay a weekly fee to shop at the stores.
Evelyn community store
Kingfisher Square SE8 5TW
Open Tuesdays 2-5pm for store members who pay £3.50 a week to use the store. Free surplus food given out on Fridays. To become a member visit https://www.lewishamhomes.org.uk/peoples-supermarket/. Currently a waiting list.
Pepys community store
2000 Community Action Centre, 190-201 Grove Street, Deptford SE8 3PG
Open Fridays 12-3pm for store members from around Pepys/Evelyn, Deptford who pay £3.50 a week to shop at the store.
To become a member collect application form from the store or apply online at https://2000cac.org/
Downham gleaning pantry
Brook Lane Community Church, 27-29 Brook Lane, Bromley BR1 4PX
Open Wednesday 5-7, Thursday 9-2 and Friday 9-2 to people on low income or affected financially by the impact of COVID-19 in Downham. Membership fee of £3.50 a week.
To book an appointment contact: downhammutualaid@hotmail.com.