Bristol’s fight against food poverty Thousands of emergency food parcels are being delivered by a network of council, voluntary and community organisations so no one in Bristol goes hungry during the coronavirus pandemic. Bristol City Council is thanking those who have stepped up to help as the pressure on households to feed their families increases. In the past two weeks alone, the council and partners have tripled referrals to foodbanks for residents struggling to make ends meet, and four new emergency foodbanks have opened in Knowle West, Redcliffe, Bedminster and Hillfields to add to the city-wide network already in place. Similarly, the FOOD club network is growing from five clubs to 16, all supporting 50 families each.
The council works closely with Feeding Bristol, the charity formed in 2017 with a mission to see no one in the city go hungry. Feeding Bristol is an umbrella organisation coordinating and supporting the network of community and voluntary groups providing food to those in need. Andy Street, Feeding Bristol Chair, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has tested Bristol’s food resilience, and we should celebrate how we have very quickly met the demand. Alongside key partner FareShare South West, we are bringing a huge amount of food into the city supplying about 100 projects, and that number is growing by the day.
“It is inevitable that demand will increase as thousands face economic difficulties. We need to support people from all walks of life; Pop-up food distributors run by closed pubs this is a testing time for many people and not and restaurants, and volunteers from just those who are typically vulnerable to food businesses and community organisations, are poverty.” all adding to Bristol’s food response. What types of food distributors are However while the pandemic has tested working in the city? Bristol’s well-established and resilient food network, emergency planning is now Emergency food/people shielding – the underway to manage increased demand over council has been working with central Govthe coming weeks and months as thousands ernment to ensure food is provided to more people in the city face economic those unable to leave their homes because hardship. they are shielding. Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “The way people have stepped up to support their friends, communities and even neighbours they have never met is incredibly humbling. The response has been exceptional, but we cannot rest on our laurels. “Thousands of people are facing food poverty, demand has never been higher, and the situation will only get worse as the repercussions of furlough, redundancy and increased applications for Universal Credit take its toll. We are planning for this now, but as a city we must pull together. In the coming months we will need more volunteers, more donations and more emergency provision.”
Reviewed by food critic Peter Abraham
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Free school meals – schools are either using a voucher system or have their own system in place to provide food for children eligible for free school meals due to financial circumstances. We are planning now for summer holiday provision. Food banks – there is a network of food banks in the city, including four new emergency food banks. People in crisis can be referred to food banks via the council and a number of other organisations. There are seven food banks in Bristol, with related outlets distributed across the city.
