The Bread and Butter Thing
What is the Bread and Butter Thing?
The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT) is a charity based in Manchester who are trying to make life more affordable for people and families. With support from Cummins, Darlington Building Society and Darlington Borough Council, they have come to Darlington.
What’s the offer?
The scheme provides groceries at a fraction of the high street prices. For £7.50 you receive three bags of food. They try and always give you some fruit and veg and something for your cupboards and fridge.
Where does the food come from?
The supplies come from the products that you hear about in the news going to waste, including supermarkets, factories and farms. There are lots of reasons for this, sometimes there is just too much of something or things don’t go to plan, like when it rains in the summer when we are all planning BBQs. The supermarkets try and guess what customers want (and they are generally really good at this) but when their planning goes wrong, they have food they cannot sell.
Can I choose what I get?
Because TBBT takes what is available and makes up food bags for members, like veg boxes, they will give you whatever is available at the time and so the food will change from week to week and there isn’t any choice in what you get. Some weeks are fantastic and some less so. However, you will always be saving money and getting new foods to try. Many members ‘top up’ from the supermarket once they have seen what they have from TBBT.
It’s because you don’t choose what is in the parcel that they can afford to provide things much cheaper than you will find anywhere else.
How do I get involved?
Registering on the scheme is simple and all done by text message. If you are unable to text you can call the primary schools direct and they will place the order for you. Bags need to be paid for at collection by cash or contactless payment, everyone gets their first week free.
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The Hubs are located at:
Tuesday – Mount Pleasant Primary School (Cockerton) 1:30pm
Wednesday – Corporation Road Primary School (Northgate) Collection 2:15pm
Thursday – Red Hall Primary School Collection 1:30pm
TBBT is open to residents who live within a one mile radius of the three current Hubs.
You will need to follow a set of steps to sign up:
Step 1 – Send a text to TBBT on 07537416040 with your full name, postcode and the name of the Hub which is within one mile of your home (Mount Pleasant, Corporation Road, Red Hall). TBBT will then get in touch with you.
Step 2 – Select the size of order you want to receive. A typical family order would be £7.50, an individual would be £4. An extra large family would be £15.
Step 3 – TBBT will send a text two days prior to collection day to ask if you want to order for that week. All you have to do is reply “YES” to the text by 10:00am the day before collection and TBBT will deliver their order to their Hub at the specified times.
Step 4 – Pay for & collect the order from your chosen Hub.
If you are unable to text please call the schools on the numbers below who will place the order for you, again this needs to be done before 10am on the day before the delivery day.
Mount Pleasant – Tuesdays 01325 244950
Corporation Road – Wednesdays 01325 244940
Red Hall – Thursdays 01325 254770
More information can be found at https://www.darlington.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/coronavirus/the-bread-and-butter-thing/
