‘Isaac’s always been very kind-hearted. Anything he comes across he always wants to stop and help. It’s massively helped with his confidence.’
A 11-year-old youngster has won the hearts of many by starting a food bank from his garden shed with his birthday money. After realizing that his new school did not accept food contributions in 2020, Isaac Winfield, who was born with a rare chromosomal abnormality, launched the campaign. Claire, the boy’s mother, told SWNS: “It started in the car on the way to school,” the boy’s mom, Claire, told SWNS. “We’d always donated to food banks and during the pandemic he would take food parcels into school which would be given to people in need. When Isaac moved from mainstream school to a specialist school he was left confused as to what he was going to do with his food parcel.”
Claire, the boy’s mother, told SWNS: “It began in the car on the way to school.”
“In the midst of the pandemic, his new school did not provide food parcels. Being the resilient youngster that he is, he responded, “It’s okay, we’ll feed them at my house.” Because he had just broken his arm, I let him to do it to cheer him up “The man, aged 42, continued. “I quadrupled the amount of money we generally give them for food boxes, and he went to Aldi. With little assistance, he placed all the food he had purchased in a small greenhouse with lights and began selling it from there. Someone noticed it and shared it on one of those Facebook community websites, whereupon it went viral. People came and made donations. The greenhouse lasted four weeks before we ran out of space and I had to purchase a shed.”
“By Easter 2021 we were funded a bigger shed by the free masons. He ran his little shed and his big shed on the drive. We have the big shed on the driveway and operations will continue from the house. Luckily we have a big driveway,” she added.
Today, well-wishers can contact Isaac via his Friends of Isaac Food Bank Facebook page to give food or request supplies. The teenager fills donated grocery bags and distributes them to the poor across his area. Those in need may also visit his foodbank shed, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and take whatever they need.
Isaac intends to expand his service by establishing a food bank in the community with the help of a local charity. Claire explained, “It’s gone from a little project to a vital community project,” Claire revealed. “I can’t believe it’s been two years coming up. He had a van donated. Isaac loves YouTube and we had a YouTuber called Mark McCann the driveway who donated the van, it was fully taxed and insured. Morrison’s jumped on board and started supporting us with the cause, so has the community. Our local community donate as and when they can.”
This year, instead of birthday gifts, Isaac requested food bank donations from his family and friends.
“For his 11th birthday he just wanted foodbank donations and it was absolutely rammed. He just wanted to get as many donations in as possible to help as many people as he can. I see roughly five visitors a day. The shed is always open and they don’t need to knock and I know we get visitors who come late at night and avoid seeing people. We think the situation for people is going to get worse and worse as the winter comes up. As it gets colder people are going to have to choose between heating and eating. We’re stocking up on pet food, food, winter clothes and wellingtons to help people keep warm,” she said.
“Isaac’s always been very kind-hearted. Anything he comes across he always wants to stop and help. I’m very blessed. It’s massively helped with his confidence, with his disability it has massively helped. To help all these people and hear how much of a wonderful job it’s boosted his confidence. He can’t read or write but he can fundraise.”