Interview: Mike Turner, director of Taunton Foodbank

After stepping down as headteacher at a village primary school, Mike was on the lookout for ways of giving back to the community.

His story starts in Auckland, New Zealand, where his parents ran a care home looking after elderly people.

He was brought up along with his twin brother and two sisters and went on to gain a BA in social anthropology and a teaching degree from Auckland University.

Mike took a six-week break to work with the Leprosy Mission in Bangladesh, a move that was to change the course of his life.

"It was there that I met my wife, Ali, who was working as a physio," he said.

"We came over to England and settled in Somerset after Ali got a job as a physio in Musgrove Park Hospital in 2001.

"We have four children, including Iona, who sadly died at the age of 18.

"I was teaching at North Petherton Primary School, where I became deputy head.

"I was then headteacher at Bishop’s Hull Primary School until August last year, when I left education."

Mike, who lives in Creech St Michael, took a few months off while he looked around for ways of giving back to the community.

Then in December, he was appointed to his current post of director at Taunton Foodbank, based on Belvedere Trading Estate.

He said: "It’s a great organisation, but the whole idea of the Foodbank is not for it to exist.

"We’re aiming to eliminate the need for it."

The Foodbank provides three-day emergency food packages for people who find themselves in straitened circumstances.

The independent charity, which was formed 14 years ago, relies totally on donations of food and money.

Clients, who are referred by schools, village agents, Citizens Advice, Somerset Direct, YMCA, and churches, are put on a support pathway.

"We only give six food parcels over six months," said Mike.

"Most people only come one or two times, and we believe that six months is enough time for people to be on the right support pathway.

"We’ve got 80 to 100 volunteers working in the warehouse, drivers collecting from supermarkets, as well as 18 volunteers in Wellington.

"They are such a willing group of people.

"This is a place where people drop their judgement, whatever their political stance, viewpoint or opinions.

"Whoever’s coming in the door, we’re going to show kindness and care for them, just being very accepting of everyone.

"It’s a privilege to work in a place like this.

"Everyone is welcome, and we want to give the best experience to them and to get them out of the situation they are in.

"We want to help our community be a better place."

The main concern is the rise in the cost of living, which is leading to people struggling to meet their bills and also restricting how much supporters feel able to contribute.

Mike added: "The whole aim is for people not to use the Foodbank for a long time.

"We want to get them moving and get them out of a food poverty situation.

"A whole range of people come here - those who have fallen into financial hardship through situations such as losing their job to people who are homeless and struggling with mental health.

"The Foodbank is a welcoming place and we make it as nice as possible.

"But we’re currently looking at the next five years, where we go and what the need will be with the cost of living crisis, people struggling to make ends meet and donors finding it hard to give as much.

"I do worry about the future - what’s it going to look like, will we have volunteers coming through in the next generation?"

Shoppers at a number of local supermarkets generously leave food donations in baskets, which are collected twice weekly.

The number of food donations has dropped over the last six months.

"At Christmas time, the warehouse was fairly full, but by March we’d dropped to quite low numbers," said Mike.

"We tend to be given more donations at harvest time and Christmas."

One generous donor pays Sainsbury’s to deliver a van full of food every month; another sent an order to a local supermarket, despite the fact she lives in Australia; and a shopper recently handed over a trolley full of food during an appeal at the Asda store in town.

Mike added: "I’ve been overcome with some people’s generosity.

"My message to people is, ‘The need is still out there.

"If you can give a little bit, every little helps’."

Mike keeps up his connections back in New Zealand, which he has visited with his family on many occasions.

"I do miss New Zealand," he said.

"But I also appreciate where I live, in a rural area we have here.

"As a family, we love being outdoors and enjoy camping.

"I love cycling and walking and used to play rugby and cricket back in New Zealand."