Foodbanks and Food Hubs

If you are struggling to make ends meet, there are places in Cambridge where you can collect food for free to keep you going for a few days. See the details below. Or if you live in South Cambridgeshire district, visit this page on the HAY South Cambs website.

Foodbanks that require a voucher

Cambridge City Foodbank has Distribution Centres around the city which provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis. To access these you need a valid foodbank voucher issued by local agencies. Call the Help through Hardship helpline on 0808 2082138 or find out more about how to claim a foodback voucher here.

Once you have a foodbank voucher you can take it along to your nearest Distribution Centre. In Cambridge City these are located at:

• St Paul’s Church, Hills Road, CB2 1JP
• Church of the Good Shepherd, Mansel Way, CB4 2ET
• C3 Centre, Coldhams Lane, CB1 3HN
• Chesterton Methodist Church, Ashfield Road, CB4 1RW
• Christ Church Trumpington, Alpha Terrace, Trumpington, CB2 9HT
• The Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Hills Road, CB2 1JR

You’ll be welcomed you with a warm drink and a volunteer will chat with you about your situation. They’ll discuss any dietary needs you may have and exchange your foodbank voucher for a parcel of three days of emergency food.

Further details on locations and opening times are available on the Cambridge City Foodbank website.

Food banks that are self referral (you can just turn up)

Several organisations in the city run food hubs where anyone can come along and collect food for free. These often work by distributing surplus food from supermarkets that would otherwise go to waste. You don’t need a referral and there are no forms to fill in. Just turn up and help yourself! The amount and type of food available will vary each week depending on donations. Details of the different locations are given below:

The Edge Café Food Hub and Community Fridge : 351 Mill Rd, CB1 3DF – Monday to Saturday from 10 – 11.30am. Visit their website for more information.

Abbey Food Hub at the East Barnwell Community Centre: Newmarket Road, CB5 8RS – Mondays 1-2.30pm, Wednesdays 3.30–5.30pm and Saturdays 11am-12:30pm. Visit their website for more information.

Community Living Room and Food Hub at The Church of the Good Shepherd : Mansel Way, CB4 2ET – Tuesdays from 10.30-12.30.

St Andrew’s Church Food Hub: Cherry Hinton,  CB1 3JS – Wednesdays 2 – 4pm (a free community café runs alongside so you can also enjoy some hot drinks and cakes/biscuits).

Orchard Park Mobile Food Hub by Hope CIC: Unwin Square, Orchard Park, CB4 2AD – Wednesdays, 12.30pm – 1.30pm. Visit their website for more information.

Cambridge Manor Care Home Food Hub: 33 Milton Road, CB4 1UZ – Wednesdays 10am – 12pm

The Shah Jalal Food Hub: Akeman Community Centre, 80 Akeman Street, CB4 3HG – Thursdays 11am – 1pm (Run by The Bangladesh Welfare and Cultural Association).

Coleridge Community Food Hub: St Thomas’s Hall, Ancaster Way, Cambridge CB1 3TT  – open Thursdays 3 – 4.30pm.

Trumpington Pavilion Food Hub : Paget Road, Trumpington, CB2 9JF – open Fridays 12 – 2pm.

Happy to Help Food Hub : St James C of E Church, Wulfstan Way, CB1 8QJ – open Saturdays 10.30am – 12pm.

Cambridge Seventh-day Adventist Church Food Hub : 15-19 Hobart Road, CB1 3PU– open Sundays 10 – 11am

Fairbite shops

Fairbite is a community supermarket with a difference. After becoming a member, customers pay just £2 per grocery shop (for 12 items of their choice). The model is designed to provide longer-term support for people experiencing food poverty. To become a member you need to be referred by a professional agency – for example Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) or Family Support worker.

There are now two Fairbite shops in Cambridge:

• Arbury Court Fairbite 
• Hope Church Fairbite

Read more information about the Fairbite model on the Cambridge City Foodbank website. 

Free hot meals 

Several organisations cook meals from surplus food for the community to enjoy. Visit our ‘Community Meals‘ page for more details.

Feeding pets

Local organisation, Boomerang, offers a pet foodbank if you are struggling to feed your pet. Visit the Boomerang website or go to Boomerangs Pet Foodbank Facebook page.

If you would like to donate food

You can donate food to Cambridge City Foodbank which will be given as food parcels to people in crisis. Visit the Cambridge City Foodbank website to find your local food collection point, and see what items are most needed.

You can also donate food to be distributed among the community food hubs. Visit Cambridge Sustainable Food for more information about what is needed and where to donate.

Other ways to get help:

• If you have children and think they might be eligible for free school meals, information about how to apply can be found here.
• Cambridge Sustainable Food is a useful source of support and information.
• The British Red Cross has a support line for anyone needing urgent access to food or medication.