At Derbyshire Community Bank, we work to support our Members to manage their money well, build savings to be able to cope when a crisis or unexpected events happen. We also support many people as they get back onto their feet after a crisis. The bit we aren’t so well equipped to do is support people in a crisis. For that reason we are proud to partner with the many organisations across our region who support people during unexpected life events.
Our CEO Phil recently visited Chesterfield Foodbank at Whittington Moor to learn more about how the Foodbank helps people facing crisis and financial hardship.
Chesterfield Foodbank provides emergency food parcels, essential supplies, and compassionate guidance to those in immediate need. Their innovative support hub and local partnerships help people tackle the root causes of financial hardship, giving them a pathway to lasting stability.
Together, we’re helping our community access the right support at the right time, so people can regain confidence, make informed choices, and feel more secure about their future.
Chesterfield Foodbank is part of the Trussell network of foodbanks, supporting people across Chesterfield and the Hope Valley who are experiencing crisis or unexpected hardship. Their volunteers, partners and supporters work together to ensure no one in our community faces hunger alone.
Alongside providing three-day emergency food parcels and other essentials such as toiletries, nappies and cleaning supplies, they focus on dignity, compassion and practical support. Over a hot drink, their volunteers take time to listen and work closely with clients to address the underlying causes of their crisis—things like low income, debt, benefit delays, housing issues or ill health—and connect them with local agencies within their network. They offer welcoming spaces where people are listened to, treated with kindness and connected with specialist help.
Chesterfield Foodbank believes everyone should have the security of good food, a stable income and somewhere safe to turn when life gets difficult. By working together with partners and collaborators across Derbyshire, they aim to reduce the need for emergency food and help people achieve long-term stability.
Between January and October 2025, they provided emergency food to 8,161 local people in crisis (6,297 adults and 1,864 children), including families, older residents and those facing sudden financial difficulty.
Most people turn to Chesterfield Foodbank for a short period, typically one to five visits, while they work with volunteers and partner agencies to resolve the issue that brought them into crisis.
New Pre-Foodbank Support Hub
In September 2025, they launched a Foodbank Support Hub at Whittington Moor Methodist Church Hall. The hub is an early-intervention space for people who are beginning to struggle but haven’t yet needed to use the foodbank.
Every Thursday (2–4pm), they bring together local partners and guest agencies who offer free, confidential support with things like benefits, debt, budgeting, energy, housing and wellbeing. The goal is to help people access the right support at the right time and reduce the need for emergency food.
Jacqueline at Chesterfield Foodbank said
“We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to Phil and the Derbyshire Community Bank for taking the time to visit us and learn more about our work. Their interest, support and commitment to helping local people make a real difference, and we look forward to continuing to work together for the benefit of our community.”
Visit Chesterfield Foodbanks website – https://chesterfield.foodbank.org.uk/
Follow Chesterfield Food Bank on Social media – https://chesterfield.foodbank.org.uk/contact-us/our-socials/
