A new Bromham-based community initiative is providing emergency food and toiletry packages to families facing financial hardship across Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge, Calne, Chippenham and surrounding villages.
Bail Out Boxes was founded by Marcus and Steph Griggs, who say the initiative was created from both personal experience and seeing first-hand how poverty continues to affect local children and working families every day.
The project provides emergency boxes containing food, hygiene products and baby essentials to families across Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge, Calne, Chippenham and surrounding villages. Anyone experiencing financial hardship within the service area is able to contact the organisation for support.
Speaking about why they decided to set up the initiative, Steph said the motivation was deeply personal.
She said: “I grew up in a high poverty background. I was lucky to have my Nan to step in, but many people have absolutely no one to lean on when things go wrong.
“On top of that, my husband and I both work in specialist schools. Every day, we see firsthand how deeply poverty affects children in this day and age. It is happening right in front of us.
“We wanted to turn our own life experiences and daily insights into practical help.”
Families seeking help are encouraged to contact Bail Out Boxes through Facebook to start the process. After confirming they live within the service area, families complete an online form covering household needs before collection arrangements are made and boxes are packed.
Steph said: “Bail Out Boxes was born out of a desire to be that safety net for isolated families, ensuring they have basic food and hygiene essentials to get through a rough patch.”
Steph says rising household costs are continuing to place pressure on local families.
She said: “Increasing household bills and wages failing to rise in line with inflation are having a huge impact on families within our community.”
The couple say requests for help have already been significant.
“We have seen an alarming number of families reach out to us over the past few weeks, higher so during the half-term holidays,” Steph said.
Each emergency package is designed to provide breakfast items alongside five lunches and five dinners using long-life products that can easily be stored and prepared.
Steph says a typical box for two people may include cereal, cereal bars, long-life milk, bread, soup, pasta, rice, noodles, tinned vegetables, meat products, sauces and snacks, with small treats included where possible.
Toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and feminine hygiene products are also available alongside baby items including nappies, wipes and baby food.
Steph says the reasons people seek help vary widely, but redundancies, unexpected expenses and rising living costs are among the most common.
Despite common assumptions around food poverty, Steph says most of the people contacting the organisation are working families.
She said: “The biggest misconception is that crisis only happens to a specific type of person.
“The reality we see at Bail Out Boxes is that it can hit absolutely anyone.
“Most people we have helped are working families who have been completely blindsided by a single unexpected event like a broken boiler, a delayed payment, or a sudden emergency bill.
“When you live paycheck to paycheck, one minor hiccup can wipe out your grocery budget.”
One example shared by the project involved a local family of four who approached Bail Out Boxes after an unexpected redundancy left them struggling financially while preparing to adopt a young child.
The organisation provided a week’s supply of emergency essentials including food suitable for all ages alongside nappies, wet wipes and toiletries while the family navigated changing circumstances and sought longer-term support.
Marcus and Steph initially funded the project themselves, but it now relies heavily on support from residents and local businesses.
Anyone wanting to support the initiative can sponsor emergency boxes in multiples of £10, with the couple estimating that one box costing around £10 can provide breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks for a family of two for around a week. Donations of in-date food and toiletries are also welcomed.
Donations of in-date, shelf-stable food and toiletries are also welcomed, while supporters can also purchase items through the project’s Amazon wish list, where products start from around £1.
Steph added: “It takes immense courage to admit you can’t afford basic food or soap.
“There is still so much unfair stigma, which is exactly why we offer support with zero red tape and zero judgment.
“We are just here to help people bridge the gap through a rough week.”
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