Complaints Policy

We believe that the best way to improve our service is by learning from the people who use
it. We welcome comments, compliments and complaints from clients, referral agencies,
volunteers and anyone else we come into contact within our work. These help us to see
what we are doing well and where we can make improvements.

We aim to promote an environment where people are encouraged to raise and discuss
issues informally and, where necessary, seek solutions to prevent them developing into
problems or complaints.

However, we recognise that there may be situations where people are not happy with the
outcome of an informal discussion or feel that the issue needs to be taken further. In these
cases, Warwick District Foodbank has a complaints procedure so that we can work towards
a resolution in a fair and transparent manner.

Our promise and commitment

We recognise that there may be times when our services and activities do not meet your
expectations. If this happens, it is important that we know about it as soon as possible so
that we can deal with the situation effectively to try to prevent it from happening again and
to learn from our mistakes. We promise to take all feedback and complaints seriously and
to deal with them promptly.

How to register a complaint or give feedback

If you have a complaint, or would like to share a concern, compliment or comment on any
aspect of our service, you can contact us in one of the following ways:

•  In person to staff/volunteers at the food bank
•  By phone: 07850 293383
•  By email: [email protected]
•  Write to the following address:
  Warwick District Foodbank, Unit 8 Trident Park, Poseidon Way, Warwick, CV34 6SW.

Please tell us what your complaint or feedback is about and what you would like to see
happen as a result. Please also tell us how we may contact you.

What will happen after I complain?

We will acknowledge your complaint within five working days of receipt, and we will tell you
who will be dealing with the matter and when you can expect a full response.

Wherever possible, Warwick District Foodbank will respect your confidentiality and keep
your complaint confidential as far as possible. Any information about the complaint will
usually only be shared with those who need to know to help resolve it.

There may, however, be occasions when we cannot provide absolute confidentiality, for
example in circumstances where a child or vulnerable adult may be at risk of harm.

If you are not happy with the response you receive, you can escalate your concerns to The
Chair of Trustees – email: [email protected] who will also investigate
the matter and advise you on the next steps to resolving your complaint.

Data Privacy Statement

We collate and analyse data about complaints so that we can improve the services we
provide. We will collect personal information including your name and contact details,
including postal address, telephone number, email address and social media contact
information, to be able to investigate your complaint and to communicate with you about it.

We will also collect sufficient information about the situation that you are contacting us
about to be able to understand what has happened. We may need to request further
information depending on the nature of your complaint. We have a legitimate interest in
holding this information to be able to monitor and improve our services.

Information gathered is accessed by Warwick District Foodbank trustees, volunteers and
staff and may be shared with advice agencies or professional services firms only if
appropriate, for example if your complaint relates to safeguarding and we seek guidance as
to next steps. We may need to share this information with the Trussell Trust to understand
what has happened and determine a resolution.

We keep this information for 2 years after your complaint has been closed, unless we have a
requirement to keep it longer, in which case we will inform you of this. After this time the
data will be aggregated and anonymised.

Signed: Date: 29 February 2024
David Witham
Name: David Witham
Position: Chair of Trustees
Warwick District Foodbank Review date: January 2025