'Volunteering at a food bank has given my retirement purpose and value'

We've all seen news stories about the huge numbers of households that are finding themselves turning to food banks in recent years, and you may have wondered what you can do to help.

Trussell Trust 2025 statistics show a 51% increase in food bank usage in the past five years. Trussell food banks distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels between April 2024 and March 2025 – with 1.02 million of these going to children.

This increase in those needing food banks has meant donations are in constant demand, especially at Christmas. You can help by donating items at your local supermarket – check the BankTheFood app for details of what’s in short supply near you. Want to do more? Host a collection for your food bank at your work or school. Or you could volunteer at a food bank. But what does a food bank volunteer actually do, and what's it like?

Sally Lamb, 69, is a retired primary school head teacher who volunteers two days a week at FareShare Greater Manchester. She lives in Stockport with her husband Steve, 70. She explains, "The school I worked at was in a challenging area, and I saw first-hand the impact of food insecurity on children. Hungry kids can’t concentrate. They worry about their parents and where their next meal is coming from. They can be stressed and distressed.

"I was grateful for FareShare, which fights hunger and food waste by redistributing surplus food to frontline charities, as it helped our local food bank – a lifeline for many local families.

"So when I retired in July 2020, I signed up as a volunteer. I’ve been at FareShare’s Greater Manchester warehouse for over four years now, sorting and packing food for its network of 8,000 charities, such as school breakfast clubs, homeless shelters and community cafes."

"It’s a huge operation and it’s humbling to be part of it. We’re one of the wealthiest countries in the world yet people still go hungry – it shouldn’t be happening.

"Volunteering has given my retirement purpose and value. I’ve used my teaching skills to support and mentor new volunteers, and I’ve learnt new skills, such as food safety and hygiene. Plus, moving kilo bags of food has been great for my core strength!

"I lead a busy retirement, but I’ve always thought that if you can volunteer, you should. If you’ve got the time, give it away, because time is the most precious gift we can give."

We can't get enough of stories about inspirational women over 40, from the woman who trains guide dog puppies to the 'real' Riot Women gigging through menopause to the woman helping others find menopause-friendly products to the foster carer foregoing retirement to help vulnerable children.

Find their stories and many more in our Inspirational Women pages, and in woman&home magazine.