When King Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles were handing out Maundy Money at York Minster to 148 people who have done nice things in their local church and community, I was at my usual place this afternoon at the local food bank. Thoughts of the royal family were firmly out of mind when I arrived to find a large queue outside before we had even opened. This, we knew, was going to be a busy one.
Our food bank is a model of diversity and we welcome everyone through our doors. Today we had those of different faiths and those of none. Some of my colleagues are deeply religious and have on occasion prayed with callers when requested to do so. In fact, a few weeks ago I was asked but had to explain I didn’t do God, but I would find someone who did. Whatever gets you through the day, I say.
Our Muslim callers ask for Halal products, which sometimes we have and sometimes we don’t. Inevitably when we don’t have them, they choose to go without. Without wishing to get bogged down in an is there, isn’t there, a God debate, I can’t understand how holding a particular superstitious belief would prevent someone from eating anything, regardless of how it fits in with God. I suppose the fear that God might get really angry if you ate something that wasn’t Halal is enough for the devout. If I was hungry enough, I just tell him to piss off. But then, like I say, I don’t do God so I suppose the question doesn’t arise.
A Muslim support worker came in on behalf of someone to help assemble and put together an order. They were extremely well prepared and the order didn’t take long. I was drinking water throughout our conversation and apologised for so doing as they couldn’t, it being Ramadan. To my surprise, they told me that just because they were fasting didn’t require anyone else to do so. I respected that and encouraged them to sneak a couple of Creme Eggs in their pocket to consume when the sun went down. I told them not to worry. I wouldn’t tell anyone. To be fair, although I have a low opinion of most religions in general and Islam in particular, many followers are respectful of those who don’t share their faith. Imagine if we could all be like that all the time? Oh, wouldn’t it be nice?
Given our food bank is based in a church, it is not surprising that some, though by no means all, of our volunteers are members of it. It being a church every single leaflet, book and poster is intended for proselytisation, not particularly for people in food poverty or those volunteering to help them, but for those who go to church in the first place. I was asked, once, if I would like to attend services and I politely declined, explaining you need to believe in a God to make that worthwhile.
Although on this Maundy Thursday we had no money to hand out, we did have a few boxes of Easter Eggs which we gave to callers. Some callers were accompanied by children and they seemed thrilled to walk out clutching a bag full of chocolate eggs. I don’t know who bought them or dropped them up to us but in the extremely unlikely event they read this blog, they can feel very proud of their generosity. I cannot know this but without generous donations I doubt that all these children would have anything to smile about this Easter.
Many of our callers are what you might describe as damaged. Some as a result of alcohol or drugs, others as a result of crushing mental illness. It doesn’t require training to spot these people and it is a dispiriting fact that beyond our doors there lies nothing. Some are just going through temporary bad times, others you just know will never recover and life will simply be a struggle. It is one thing that a food bank needs to exist at all in a rich country but quite another when there is virtually nothing by way of help for many people. When I drive home and go into my little house, I always remember how lucky I am.
Incredibly, despite being very busy today, we had eight ‘no shows’. They will have sought help and someone will have made appointments for them. It always concerns me but there’s nothing I can do about it. As a volunteer I will never learn why they didn’t show. I just hope nothing bad happened to them. We can be an end of the road service. And when you run out of road, there’s nowhere left to go.
We have lost a few volunteers since I started working at our food bank. I’m not surprised because you can put your heart and soul into it and not find out until too late that you’re burned out. How many times can you keep going to the well of kindness that, I hope, exists in everyone? I’m nowhere near that stage, but apart from booked holidays or illness, I’m building my Thursdays around the food bank. I can’t not go because I don’t want to let anyone down, a bit like Grocer Jack. But look what happened to him?
Another day done and it’s on with real life. We all do our bit to make the lives of others better. This is my little bit.
