Story by Jon Watts
Photo by John Mellor
In March 2016 Rock Christian Centre, home of Burngreave Foodbank, bought the former library and housing offices on Spital Hill from Sheffield City Council. Since then an army of volunteers and tradesmen have been busy clearing the overgrown, litter strewn site and refurbishing the former library ready for the foodbank and church offices to move in on Saturday 18th June.
A new Foodbank Store, office and serving area has been created and offices have been refurbished ready for the Rock Christian Centre administration. New heating; CCTV; security lighting etc. has already been installed. The Burngreave Foodbank will be open 2-4pm Mondays; Wednesdays and Fridays.
Emergency food parcels are only available to those who have been assessed and given a voucher by agencies including doctor’s surgeries; housing agencies; social workers etc.
Please don’t come to the Foodbank without a voucher, if you do we cannot help you.
Rock Christian Centre are submitting plans to join the two buildings together forming a central concourse, and converting the first floor of the former housing benefit office into a 400+ seat auditorium with children’s and youth facilities on the ground floor.
When the plans have been passed, the funds raised and the building completed, there will be a substantial improvement in the facilities available to groups serving the area such as the Foodbank, Street Pastors and others. There will also be great potential for developing additional community facilities such as a community café, debt counselling; and finding community uses for the auditorium.
Until the new building project is completed, the Rock Christian Centre Sunday services and other larger events will continue to be run from the existing building at 75 Carlisle Street.