Volunteers get weight management training!

No, we're not all trying to lose weight but we are trying to make sure that we handle heavy weights correctly.

Did you know that a crate of baked bean tins can weigh over 23 kg and 2 bags of shopping that we give to people who visit the Food Bank can be anything up to 14kg? All of this food has to be lifted on off of the shelves and in and out of shopping trollies so it is important that we lift these items safely. We want to make sure that all of our volunteers stay safe in as many ways as possible and we certainly don't want them out of action with a bad back. Last week we had some very useful manual handling training. Thanks to Mick and Rosie for organising.

Please take care of your backs too! Bags of donations can be difficult to get in and out of cars, and stretching and twisting is often involved. Here are some things to think about:

• Don't overload bags

• Try to move bags nearer to you before you lift them

• Ask for someone to bring you a trolley rather than carry bags from your car

• Bend your knees if you are lifting something from the floor

• Always ask for help rather than struggle on your own.