Posts in '2017'

• Over 1,182,000 three day emergency food supplies given to people in crisis in past year – 436,000 to children
• New report on Universal Credit reveals adverse side effects on people claiming and foodbanks providing help
• The Trussell Trust welcomes Damian Green’s willingness to work with frontline charities and calls for more flexibility and support to help people moving to Universal Credit

UK foodbank use continues to rise according to new data from anti-poverty charity, The Trussell Trust. Between 1^st April 2016 and 31^st March 2017, The Trussell Trust’s Foodbank Network provided 1,182,954 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis compared to 1,109,309 in 2015-16. Of this number, 436,938 went to children. This is a measure of volume rather than unique users, and on average, people needed two foodbank referrals in the last year.* [see notes to editor]

(more…)

The Trussell Trust partners with local communities to help stop UK hunger by running a network of over 420 foodbanks and providing a range of additional ‘More Than Food’ services, which aim to tackle the underlying causes of poverty by offering immediate help at the point of crisis. These include money advice, cooking and budgeting courses and holiday clubs for struggling families.

Waitrose’s donation will cover the core costs of running ‘Eat Well Spend Less’ courses, The Trussell Trust’s free six-session course which teaches cookery skills and household budgeting tips to make tight budgets stretch further. The basics of inexpensive and nutritious cooking, as well as household budgeting and meal planning to help reduce food waste are all covered in each two and a half hour long session. The hands-on sessions see participants preparing food such as basic tomato sauce, burgers, homemade bread, and cereal bars. (more…)

Staff at EsriUK in Aylesbury are supporting Aylesbury Foodbank by challenging themselves to live on £1 a day for food and drink for 5 consecutive days between 9^th and 19^th January.

They will donate the money they would have spent on food and drink to the foodbank and EsriUK have generously offered to match fund whatever they raise.

Some members of staff have decided just to donate their weekly food budget and EsriUK will be match funding that as well.

“Esri UK staff were keen to do something to help people in need in the local community and to raise awareness. When I found out about the ‘Live below the line’ challenge it seemed a great way to raise funds for Aylesbury Foodbank and to help local people”

said Ben Flanagan, Esri UK.

Heather-Joy Garrett, Aylesbury Foodbank Co-ordinator said:

‘We’re thrilled that the staff at EsriUK have chosen to support us in this way – living on a £1 a day for all food and drink isn’t an easy thing to do. As all our food is donated (with collection points at Waitrose and Holy Trinity Church’ all the money they raise will go towards supporting our running costs this year’.

EsriUK staff already support the foodbank by packing boxes after work one evening a fortnight.

Could you live on £1 a day? Challenge your company or friends to try.

Aylesbury foodbank has helped over 250 households by supplying a three-day food parcel since it opened in April 2016. Aylesbury foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust national network of foodbanks. It was set up and will be supported for 3 years by the Mid Bucks Association, a local Christian trust (Registered Charity No 212634)

.