FOODBANK
SU FOOD BANK - Ipswich Campus Only
Our Food Bank is here to support University of Suffolk students based at the Ipswich Campus who are experiencing short-term financial difficulty and need help accessing essential items such as food, toiletries, or period products.
We aim to help as many students as possible throughout the academic year, and we do our best to provide support quickly and fairly. However, this service is intended to be used in emergency situations, rather than as a regular source of supplies. Due to limited resources, if more than one parcel is requested, we will arrange an appointment with you to discuss your situation and what support we are able to offer. We can offer guidance, signpost you to external food banks, and connect you with student finance services or other support options.
Thank you for helping us keep this service accessible to everyone who may need it.
SU Foodbank referral process
All you need to do is make a self-referral using the link below. Alternatively, reach out to a member of our friendly SU advice team who will set up a referral for you.
Once the form has been submitted a member of the team will review it and contact you via email when your parcel is ready to collect, usually within 48 hours, Monday to Friday.
Change to foodbank operating hours over from 20 July 2026 - 7 September 2026
Due to staff availability over the summer, we are temporarily reducing the operating hours of our foodbank. Students are still able to make a referral, but our opening hours are Monday - Thursday 10am - 2pm. Any referrals made outside of these times will be processed the next working day. You can find information on local foodbanks and top up shops in Ipswich and the surrounding areas, further down the page.
External Food Banks
Food banks are community organisations there to support people who cannot afford the essential items. If you need any additional support, you can contact one of the local food banks below:
Ipswich
Citizens Advice Bureau
17 Tower Street, Ipswich
Tel: 0808 278 7867 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
advice@ipswichcab.org.uk
https://www.citizensadviceipswich.org.uk/
If you call or email the CAB, they can refer you to FIND.
BME African Food Pantry
https://www.bmesuffolk.org/
You can email them for a referral at: info@bmesuffolk.org / 07492 691190 / 01473 210176
Unit 5, Coachmans Court, Old Cattlemarket, Ipswich, IP4 1DX
Open 09:00 - 15:00
BSSG, support for Black and Minorities ethnics in Northwest Ipswich. (bmesuffolk.org)
Ipswich Top Up Shops
Currently there are ten shops across Ipswich on various days of the week. You can pop into the Top up shops without a referral. They provide affordable food (£2 a bag) to top up your cupboards and a friendly face:
For more details visit:
https://www.ipswichtopupshops.co.uk/find-a-shop
Felixstowe
Basic Life Pop up Shops
https://www.basic.org.uk/pop-up-shops
Colchester
https://colchester.foodbank.org.uk/
Lowestoft
https://lowestoftdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/
Haverhill
https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/cost-of-living/food.cfm
Norwich
https://norwich.foodbank.org.uk/
Thetford
https://thetford.foodbank.org.uk/
Find a foodbank
https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/
https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/