Feeding rumbling tummies: More than one in three foodbank users is a child
27th November, 2019
Pupils, parents and staff this Michaelmas donated a record quantity of food for the Edinburgh North West Foodbank. This is the third year we have collected essential food items and it was our largest collection to date – at 164.5kg.
Foodbank use at record high across Capital. This will significantly help the Foodbank – which is part of the Trussel Trust’s network of foodbanks in the UK – provide three days of nutritionally-balanced food for vulnerable families at risk of going hungry.
Part of the tradition of the School’s Michaelmas celebration, is for the whole school to come together to break bread with one another over a meal that everyone helps to prepare.
Michaelmas comes at a turning point in the year when the world of nature appears to be less active and is fading and apparently dying. We, however, need to draw on inner resources so that we do not ‘fade away’ as does the natural world.
Not everyone is able to enjoy a healthy balanced diet, with foodbank use increasing 73% over the past five years (Trussel Trust). The main reasons for people resorting to the emergency food parcels are benefits consistently not covering the cost of living (33%), and delays or changes to benefits being paid.
We are very grateful to the many parents who contributed towards our collection for our local food bank.
25th April, 2019 Update: (Trussell Trust)
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, the Trussell Trust’s food bank network distributed 1.6 million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, a 19% increase on the previous year. April 2018 to March 2019 to be the busiest year for food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network since the charity opened. More than half a million of these went to children. 210,605 3 day meals were handed out in 2018/19 in Scotland.
Shirley, who had to use a food bank herself and now volunteers for food bank in the Trussell Trust, said:
“No one should need to ever use a food bank but sometimes things happen to people that are completely out of their control like an illness, disability, family breakdown or the loss of a job.
“I was thrown into an unknown world. I didn’t have any money for three months while waiting for Universal Credit. I couldn’t pay my rent and I had to work out whether to eat in the morning or the afternoon because I didn’t have enough money for the basics.
“The food bank got me back on my feet and offered me hope that things would get better. I’m a great believer in giving back and that’s why I volunteer my time at Southwark Foodbank. People shouldn’t feel embarrassed if they’re forced to use a food bank – they are there to help you.”
Between 1st April 2018 and 31st March 2019, food banks in The Trussell Trust’s network provided 1,583,668 emergency supplies to people in crisis. 577,618 (36.5%) of these supplies went to children.
What we are seeing year-upon-year is more and more people struggling to eat because they simply cannot afford food. This is not right”. Emma Revie, Chief Executive, Trussell Trust. Visit their website here.
Our school will be collecting for this foodbank again in November.