Summary

The article discusses the critical state of UK food banks, which are struggling to meet the increasing demand, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to issues like insufficient storage and non-perishable food supplies.

Abstract

Food banks across the United Kingdom are reaching a breaking point as the demand for their services surpasses the available supply. Despite generous donations from individuals and contributions from supermarkets and fast food outlets, the main challenges include a lack of storage facilities and a shortage of non-perishable food items. The situation, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects a growing trend of food insecurity that predates the current health crisis, with the number of people relying on food banks growing faster than donations. The article underscores the need for a sustainable solution, suggesting that the government and local authorities should implement an infrastructure to support food security, akin to the importance of housing and healthcare.

Opinions

The author believes that the current state of food banks is deeply concerning, with record unemployment and prolonged lockdowns compounding the issue.
The author points out that the problem of food insecurity has been escalating for years, particularly since the introduction of Universal Credit and austerity measures by the Conservative government.
The article suggests that the UK should consider a model where workers contribute a small weekly amount to fund community schemes, which could include planting crops and raising livestock to feed local communities.
The author advocates for sustainable development to ensure that individuals and families have the right to food and basic necessities, emphasizing that this should be a fundamental priority for the government.
The author's personal view is that the issue of food bank sustainability is critical and should be addressed with urgency, expressing both concern and optimism for potential solutions.

Food Banks Are Going Bust.

The Bank that just can’t keep on saying yes.

In the United Kingdom, Food banks up and down the country are at breaking point due to the demand outstripping the supply. People are generously donating what they can. Also, big supermarkets and fast food outlets are doing all they can to donate and share.

The main issues are storage facilities and the right type of food that isn’t perishable. For example, tinned fruit and vegetables and dried goods like pasta are ideal. Below is a generic instruction on how to access a food bank near your local area.

The worrying thing is that before the COVID 19 pandemic the number of people and families that are having to use this service was growing at a far higher rate than people or businesses could donate.

Insight & Information.

Find a Food Bank

We know it’s a challenging time for everyone at the moment as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds. Food banks are grassroots, community organisations aimed at supporting people who cannot afford the essentials in life.

If you cannot afford food, please contact your local food bank.

If you can afford food but are unable to get it due to self-isolating or for another reason, please contact your local council or NHS Volunteer Responders.

The first European food bank was opened in France in 1984. The first food bank in Italy was established in 1989. Similar to the UK’s experience, food banks have become much more common across continental Europe since the crisis that began in 2008, and especially since austerity measures began to take effect from late-2010 after the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition launched their austerity programme to cut billions of pounds in public expenditure.

Research published in 2017 found there were over 2,000 UK food banks, with 651 being independent of the Trussell network.

Professor Jon May, of the Queen Mary University of London and the Independent Food Aid Network, said statistics showed a rapid rise in numbers of food banks during the last five years.

“There are now food banks in almost every community, from the East End of London to the Cotswolds. The spread of food banks maps growing problems of poverty across the UK, but also the growing drive among many thousands of people across the country to try and do something about those problems”.

Though foodbanks were rarely seen in the UK in the second half of the twentieth century, their use has started to grow, especially in the 2000s, and have since dramatically expanded. The increase in the dependency on food banks has been blamed on the 2008 recession and the Conservative government’s austerity policies. These policies have included cuts to the welfare state and caps on the total amount of welfare support that a family can claim. The OECD found that people answering yes to the question ‘Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?’ decreased from 9.8% in 2007 to 8.1% in 2012, leading some to say that the rise was due to both those more aware of food banks, and Jobcentres referring people to food banks when they were hungry.

Rachel Loopstra, lecturer on nutrition at King’s College London and food insecurity expert, said:

“Recent national survey data suggests that 8% of adults experienced not having enough money for food over 2016 — this figure is likely to be many times more than the number helped by food banks. We need ongoing national survey monitoring to understand the scale of food insecurity, who is at risk, and the implications for child and adult health and wellbeing.”

Statistics & comments from Wikipedia.

Perspective.

At the time of writing this, our country should be deeply concerned with the future of our food banks. Because with record unemployment and a lockdown in its seventh week. People and businesses have nothing else to give because of the pandemic.

Before all of this, the whole of the charity sector was in turmoil and at its lowest point because the economic growth is non-existent. People and families are existing and living from week to week or even day by day.

Why has this issue become elevated?

The launch of Universal Credit, by the then Prime Minister Teresa May conservative government is a fundamental part of the now major national problem of being able to go without food and the basics commodities of everyday life, just existing as human beings are not attainable or realistic.

In 2020 this is something that should be extremely important and needs to be raised by the local authorities in parliament. Families and people on minimum wage or benefits must be allowed to have a place to live and food to eat.

Unfortunately, the pandemic is now top of the agenda. The point is, that within the lockdown and social distancing rules of everyday life people and families still need basic supplies of food and water.

What can we do to make this right?

In the short term, I feel it’s extremely unlikely that we can find a resolution to this issue.

Moving forward, I feel strongly that the government and local authorities need to have an infrastructure in place.

It’s something that should be of fundamental importance, after housing & health care within the local community where you live.

Sustainable development should be put in place. Because it is imperative that as human beings, we can have the right to be able to build a life for ourselves and our families and not go hungry like the unfortunate situation of third world countries.

Suggestions for a sustainable model in the future

An option to donate 10p per week from everyone working within the U.K.
This equates to £5.20 per year per worker which is not a lot to ask really.
The revenue raised from this could be shared equally within the local authorities.
This could be then invested in community schemes that can plant crops of vegetables and create small farms of livestock.
By definition, this could create employment for people out of work or with mental & physical health issues.
All the resulting crops, eggs & meat from the livestock & farms can be used to feed the local community in their area.

My views on this subject are my own. I am just trying to raise awareness.

Created in a concerned, but also positive space.

Brian Anthony Cumberlidge. 08/05/2020.