Foodbank fundraiser: please help tackle UK food poverty at Christmas

More people than ever before in the UK are expected to use foodbanks this Christmas. I’d appreciate your help raising money for my local foodbank in Newcastle.

The Trussell Trust network provided almost 160,000 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis in December last year, including 65,500 to children.

The foodbank charity provided more than 650,000 three day emergency food supplies to children and adults in crisis across Britain between April and September 2018.

That’s almost a 17% increase on the same period last year. If you add independent foodbanks such as the Bay Foodbank local to me in North Tyneside you can double the numbers.

The top four reasons for referral to a foodbank are low income; not earning; benefit delay and changes; and debt. One in six people referred to their foodbanks is in work.

Trussell Trust Chief Executive Emma Revie said that delays in paying Universal Credit are responsible for as much as a third of usage.

In a report on published in November Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said foodbank use in the UK is up almost fourfold since 2012.

He criticised the Government for dismissing foodbank usage as the norm in western countries and for failing to proactively tackle food poverty in the UK.

How to help

Here’s a really simple way in which you can help within your own community. Add a few extra groceries into your weekly shop and leave them at the collection point at your local supermarket.

Alternatively use Google Maps or the Trussell Trust website to find your local foodbank and drop in food yourself.

Here’s a list if you’re wondering what to donate.

• Tinned and packet potatoes

• Long life milk

• Rice pudding

• Custard

• Savoury snacks

• Sweet Snacks

• Hotdogs

• Meatballs

• Biscuits

• Jams and spreads

• Tinned fish

• Tinned meat

• Coffee

• Pies

• Tinned vegetables

• Tinned pasta

• Tinned fruit

• Tea bags

• Soup

• Baby food

• Toiletries

• Household cleaning items

• Feminine products

• Baby supplies

I’m raising money again this Christmas for a big shop for the BAY Foodbank, an independent foodbank in South Shields, Newcastle.

If you’d like to donate please send donations via PayPal to me at [email protected]. Alternatively head over to the fundraiser on my Facebook page.

£5 would great, £10 would fantastic, and £20 would be amazing.

Thank you for your support.