4 minute read
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.
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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.
Pop-up food distributors run by closed pubs and restaurants, and volunteers from businesses and community organisations, are all adding to Bristol’s food response.
However while the pandemic has tested Bristol’s well-established and resilient food network, emergency planning is now underway to manage increased demand over the coming weeks and months as thousands more people in the city face economic hardship.
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.” 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; this is a testing time for many people and not just those who are typically vulnerable to food poverty.”
What types of food distributors are working in the city?
Emergency food/people shielding – the council has been working with central Government to ensure food is provided to those unable to leave their homes because they are shielding.
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.
Food clubs – these are based largely at children’s centres providing meals to families. There are currently 16 operating in Bristol.
Community groups and projects – including charities and faith groups, often focused on supporting a specific group of people, e.g. Easton Community Centre has been set up as a temporary foodbank to support food parcels to the 50 ROMA families in the area. Knowle West Alliance has partnered with Severn Vineyard church to set up an emergency Foodbank in Filwood. Black South West Network is coordinating work with some eight community projects in the city centre focused on providing emergency food for the BAME communities.
Pop-up food distributors – caterers, cafes, restaurants and pubs which are currently closed are helping in various ways, either providing food parcels or cooking meals for distribution across the city. For example, a new venture led by Michelin Star chef Josh Eggleton called The Food Union providing food parcels for a number of vulnerable groups across the city, and quality meals for key workers (NHS, care workers, etc). Fosters Event Catering providing over 300 meals per day for NHS workers. And The Plough in Easton is delivering fruit and veg boxes to vulnerable groups.
What do I do if I can’t afford or get food?
Please call the We Are Bristol support hotline on 0800 694 0184 open 8.30am5pm, Monday to Friday and 10am - 2pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. How can I help?
We are matching volunteers up with people who need support, so please register on Can Do Bristol. Alternatively there are lots of networks of volunteers in community groups, and being organised in local areas on Facebook.
If you have food you want to donate, or are a business/community group that could support, please email: coronavirus@bristol. gov.uk
You can donate money and food donations to individual Food Banks.
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