The Meon Valley Food Bank is a charity set up to assist in the relief of poverty in the Meon Valley area of Hampshire through the provision of food parcels to individuals and households in need as identified to it by external referral agencies such as Citizens Advice, the local authority, schools, health professionals and other client-facing organisations.
It is staffed by one paid Manager who is helped by volunteers and operates out of the Wickham Community Centre.
The Meon Valley Food Bank is committed to treating all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Every client who contacts MVFB by phone or who visits the Wickham Community Centre should be made to feel equally welcome.
Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic or otherwise offensive and inflammatory remarks and behaviour are not acceptable. These constitute harassment and have no place in our operation.
If any client or volunteer feels they have been discriminated against by MVFB or harassed when attending the Centre they should raise this with the Manager in the first instance, who will raise this with the Trustees.
Investigation Procedure
The Manager and Trustees will investigate the complaint, listening to all those involved. (If the complaint is against a Trustee, that Trustee will not be part of conducting the investigation).
If the complaint is against a particular individual, this person will have the opportunity to express their point of view, accompanied by a friend. The person making the complaint will also have this opportunity.
If the complaint is against the charity as a whole, the Trustees must work to ensure that such discrimination is not repeated in the future, and must ensure full awareness amongst staff, volunteers and trustees regarding changes in practice.
Any decision to exclude a person from the charity’s operation due to discriminatory or harassing behaviour will be made with reference to the MVFB’s constitution.
The MVFB will support people who feel they have been harassed or discriminated against and will not victimise or treat them less well because they have raised this.
This policy was adopted at a meeting of MVFB Trustees on May 21 2024, and will be reviewed at least every 2 years.
Annie Thomas
Chair