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How I, Daniel Blake highlights the reality of hidden hunger and inspires change for the better. Read more on page 8
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“I left the foodbank with my bags of food and felt very overwhelmed. I was so glad I had come here.” - Donna
Welcome Here at The Trussell Trust, it’s such a boost to all of us when we hear and read stories like Donna’s and Alwyn’s and understand a little bit more about how foodbanks are helping those in need. You can read their stories in this issue of Newslink in which we kick off our activities to mark our twentieth year of operation as a charity. The Trussell Trust hasn’t always been about foodbanks in the UK. For the first three years we were dedicated to supporting projects in Bulgaria, which was the original calling of our founders Carol and Paddy Henderson. Then, with the help of many friends, they set up Salisbury Foodbank in 2000 when it was clear there was a need locally. They could never have known then that the charity would go on to support a network of over 1,300 foodbank distribution centres. In our time there have been some high points - we’ve had front page press coverage, won a few awards and been lucky to receive Lottery funding to get new projects off the ground. But nothing can really mask the sad reality that so many people are going hungry.
And we’re not the whole story when it comes to foodbank need in the UK. We estimate there are perhaps as many foodbanks again, working independently of our network, to ensure that people in need get help in an emergency. It looks like it’s going to get worse before it gets better. So as we mark this, our twentieth year, I want to thank every single person who has been giving their support. This wouldn’t be possible without you, so let’s keep going until we’ve stopped UK hunger. There is plenty still to be done.
David McAuley Chief Executive
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Stay in the loop with news straight to your inbox Are you keen to get a regular fix of news from The Trussell Trust straight to your inbox? Then sign up for ‘Newswire’, our bi-monthly e-newsletter so you never miss out on our updates! Visit www.trusselltrust.org/newsletter to sign up.
Contents 4
News in brief
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Foodbanks look set to distribute highest number of food parcels in history
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Benefit sanctions and foodbank usage: clear links found
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I, Daniel Blake What the film teaches us about the reality of life for many in the UK today
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Alwyn’s story Find out how a trip to the foodbank changed a family’s life
Donna’s story The first in our anniversary series - 20 years, 20 stories
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Ever considered a charity running event?
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News in brief
DELIVERING CHRISTMAS JOY TO EASTERN EUROPE The response to 2016’s Christmas box appeal was amazing – 11,724 Christmas boxes were donated, over 100 schools participated, along with dozens of businesses and churches, and more than 500 people gave their time to sort and pack the boxes. The shoeboxes were distributed with the help of FSCI, our charity partner in the Balkans. Overseas Operations Manager, Richard Parsons, said: “We were really overwhelmed! This meant we were able to give out a record number of Christmas presents to very poor children and families in Bulgaria and Serbia. Thank you to everyone who supported the appeal – you really did help to spread a lot of joy last Christmas.”
BIG WRAP For the last ten years or so Susan LloydSelby, manager of Vale Foodbank, South Wales, has been running The Big Wrap, an initiative set up to provide presents to struggling families. This Christmas they managed to collect and distribute around 1,000 gifts to 240 families in the local community. Whilst The Big Wrap focuses on collecting gifts for children, it also takes some of the pressure off parents who might struggle to fund the festive season. Susan explains: “Every parent wants to make sure their child wakes up to a present on Christmas morning and for families who are struggling, Christmas can be a really stressful time. A bag of toys takes some of that pressure off and helps ensure families can still afford to eat and, hopefully, not get into debt”
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Biffy Clyro
PERIOD POVERTY DEBATED IN SCOTLAND Scottish Labour MSP, Monica Lennon, led a debate in Autumn 2016 on ‘period poverty’ and has welcomed a commitment from the Scottish Government to meet with charities, including The Trussell Trust, to discuss the provision of feminine hygiene products to all women on working age benefits. Ms Lennon was moved by a heart-breaking story of a young woman who declined sanitary products because she had not had a period for seven weeks due to malnutrition, and of tales of other women who had to use newspaper, towels or toilet paper as a replacement. Ms Lennon has called on the Scottish Government to consider providing sanitary items free of charges to ensure women are healthy and safe during menstruation and The Trussell Trust in Scotland has backed this. Following the commitment, we met Aileen Campbell MSP, Minister for Public Health and Sport, who has requested further evidence. This is currently being collated and will be presented in the coming months.
BACKING OF THE BANDS We have been lucky enough to attract support from two high profile rock bands – Biffy Clyro and Sleaford Mods. Biffy Clyro contacted us at the start of their recent 10-date stadium tour of the UK offering an opportunity to collect donations at some of their gigs. A team of volunteers were mobilised across the country, and armed with collection buckets they collected over £5,500. We also received support from Sleaford Mods at several of their gigs. Again, volunteers rallied with collection buckets and raised a fantastic £5,300. Huge thanks to both bands and their fans.
Sleaford Mods
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Appeals Update Thank you so much to everyone who supported our appeals at the end of last year. We were overwhelmed by the support you gave our Christmas Appeal, which raised a staggering £26,820! Also running throughout December with the support of Unite the Union, was the Hope Not Hunger Appeal. A fantastic £20,494 was raised by Unite members and readers of The Mirror.
Spring 2017
French’s on-pack promotion Huge thanks to French’s Food Company for supporting The Trussell Trust by donating 10p for each of the 200,000 bottles of French’s mustard sold in October and November 2016, raising £20,000 for the Trust. Each bottle advertised French’s support of The Trussell Trust helping to raise awareness of our work. Thank you French’s.
COOKING UP A STORM The 9th March saw the launch of The Really Good British Cook Book. Celebrating the melting pot of cuisines that is today’s British menu, the book features recipes from 100 cooks, bakers and chefs who share their most loved dishes. At least £10,000 will be donated to The Trussell Trust to support our ongoing work from sales of the book.
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New York Bakery Company fundraising continues We are delighted that the New York Bakery Company (NYBC), the UK’s leading provider of bagels, has pledged to support The Trussell Trust for the next three years. NYBC will be supporting the Trust through their annual fun run in Yorkshire through a generous annual gift, and by donating packs of bagels to nine foodbanks local to their factories in Rotherham and Maidstone. We are proud to work with a number of fantastic partners who play a vital role in supporting our work with people in poverty. If you or your company would be interested in working with us in the future please contact Helen, our Senior Corporate Partnerships Manager at helen.franks@trusselltrust.org.
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Network Rail helps foodbanks raise £50,000 in 9 months 35 foodbanks took up Network Rail’s offer to participate in the ‘Foodbank Friday’ initiative which took place between April and November 2016. Foodbank Friday allowed foodbanks to hold bucket collections at 15 of the leading Network Rail stations in England and Scotland on the last Friday of each month. For several of the foodbanks this provided an invaluable opportunity to raise much-needed funds, as testified by one of our Glasgow foodbanks; “Our target was £1000, and we nailed it. This has been a great help in the continuation of our foodbank” Foodbank Fridays will continue in 2017 at certain stations, so why not come and say hello if you see us at your local station. Read our article on page 18 about fundraising events. If you’re in the mood for a challenge, then why not sign up?
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What does I, Daniel Blake teach us about how we, The Trussell Trust, can help stop UK hunger? Ken Loach’s BAFTA and Palme d’Or winning film I, Daniel Blake, tells the tale of a man forced to cope with the harsh reality of the benefits system after a heart attack leaves him unable to work. It led to strong reactions on its cinema release back in October last year, with many struggling to believe the injustice in the film reflected the reality for people in the UK “in this day and age”. But, as any of the hundreds of thousands of people forced to seek help from a foodbank can testify, this is the reality of life today for many people. It’s an unwelcome truth but one we can’t deny. Daphine Aikens, manager at Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank says “I meet ‘Daniel Blakes’ every single day,” and adds “For critics who don’t have a clue what it’s like to live that way to say the film is not realistic is just outrageous.”
Spring 2017
Spring 2017 In the film, we see Daniel accompany his friend Katie to a foodbank after her benefits are sanctioned. After being relocated to Newcastle from her native London, mum of two Katie is a few minutes late to her first Job Centre appointment. It is considered she is not trying hard enough to find work and there is an immediate stop to her payments. The decision throws Katie and her family into crisis; it affects her morale, her relationship with her kids, and ultimately she is left destitute and needing a foodbank.
At the jobcentre, Katie is told she can’t get any help*
The scene in the foodbank, filmed at one of the foodbanks in our network, Newcastle West End Foodbank, is difficult to watch as we see just how much Katie has been depriving herself to stop her kids suffering. When she finally gets some food she devours it cold, from a tin, using her hands. It’s heartbreaking and illustrates the sorts of sacrifices too many parents make every day, with our research showing 1 in 5 regularly skip meals so their children don’t go hungry.
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Ken Loach, Director of I, Daniel Blake*.
“Foodbanks are run by generous, caring people who are moved to support people in need. They are admirable in every way and deserve our thanks. But the need for foodbanks shames us all.” Ken Loach, Director of I, Daniel Blake
Katie & Daniel in the harrowing scene filmed at Newcastle West End Foodbank*
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Katie and Daniel are far from the exception We have found that over 40% of people using foodbanks are referred because a benefit delay or change has left them with no money to buy food. And our recent research with the University of Oxford shows that for every additional 10 adults whose benefits are stopped due to a sanction, 5 will need to ask a foodbank for help as a direct result. It’s clear we must continue to support foodbanks to provide help in their communities with emergency food. The impact of foodbanks offering additional support and ‘more than food’ projects that help people recover from their crisis make it less likely to reoccur is great. But the only way we will ever stand a chance of stopping UK hunger for good is if we engage with the governing administrations across the UK and challenge injustice by addressing the underlying causes for people hitting crisis.
Daphine Aikens, Manager at Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank
We help give a voice to people affected by poverty and hunger because of the size and strength of our foodbank network We do this by sharing the experiences of people helped by foodbanks and our social enterprises with Central Government, Scottish Parliament, Welsh and London Assemblies and Local Authorities across the UK to engage decision makers with the realities of poverty. Our policy asks are rooted in evidence gathered from our foodbank network’s experiences of helping people in poverty – people like Daphine who see the reality day in, day out.
Katie deprives herself so she can feed her kids*
We are particularly interested in ensuring the UK has a robust welfare safety net and people have access to jobs that pay enough to keep them out of poverty. Delays or changes to a person’s benefit are two of the biggest causes of referral to a foodbank and in
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Spring 2017 many cases, these are down to problems with the way benefits are administered. Many of these can be avoided and we are asking the Government to implement all the recommendations in the Emergency Use Only report which we worked on in partnership with Child Poverty Action Group, Church of England and Oxfam GB. We regularly input into the work of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger’s ‘Feeding Britain’ inquiry and continue to work closely with members of the committee. In particular we support calls for improvements to benefits delivery, raising the minimum wage, and encouraging more firms to adopt the real living wage, all of which would help tackle poverty and hunger. So thank you for your support for The Trussell Trust and everything that our work encompasses to stop UK hunger. You’re making it possible for us to make
real and lasting changes that will help people like Daniel and Katie, and Donna and Alwyn, whose real stories are contained in these pages. You can read more about our research and advocacy work and find links to all our reports and research findings on our website at www.trusselltrust.org/research or email us at research@trusselltrust.org.
Kate & Daniel become friends as they share their struggles*
*Images from I, Daniel Blake. Credit: Joss Barratt - Sixteen Films.
Help us challenge injustice with a monthly gift
Making a real and lasting change to lives takes time. A regular gift of say £2 or £5 a month could help us in our work to engage policy makers and bring about positive changes to help people and families struggling on low incomes. Go to www.trusselltrust.org/monthly to set up a direct debit or call us on 01722 580 178. And don’t forget you can Gift Aid your donations to make them worth another 25p for every £1 you give.
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Donna’s Story As we mark 20 years of The Trussell Trust, read how Donna and Alwyn (p16) got the help they needed from their local foodbank to turn their lives around.
“Coming to the foodbank was just a great relief and nobody judges anybody.” - Donna
#20years20stories
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Care support worker, Donna, saw her life turned upside down when she suffered from two mini-strokes.
“I felt so at ease. They listened and offered me tea. It was so nice and family based.”
“I spent time in hospital and came out to discover that I couldn’t go back to work,” explains the 44-year-old motherof-three from Northern Ireland.
As well as providing Donna with food for herself and her children, the foodbank was also able to give her information on benefit support she was entitled to claim, in order to get further help.
With her health forcing her to stop working, and not being eligible for sick pay, Donna soon began to struggle. “I was always pretty good on managing and saving. But from not working, the savings were getting very low,” she admits. “Things had to be paid for and I didn’t want the kids to suffer.” She continues: “We had some food in the cupboard and freezer but I knew it was starting to become lower and lower. I wasn’t doing what I should have been doing as a mother.” Donna knew she had to ask for help. “It was either asking somebody for a lend with money and having that debt and struggle, or going to the foodbank.” Although Donna was nervous about going to the foodbank, she is thankful they were able to support her through this difficult time. “I sat in the car park for about 10 minutes getting the courage to go in, but the welcome that I got through the doors was just phenomenal,” she admits.
“I left the foodbank with my bags of food and felt very overwhelmed. I was so glad I had come here.” As soon as Donna’s circumstances had improved she signed up to volunteer at the foodbank, explaining: “I wanted to give back as they have brought me out of the biggest situation that I did not think I would get myself into.” Donna is glad that things are much more balanced now. She enjoys volunteering twice a week and remains grateful for the support she received:
“I’m not needing the foodbank anymore but I’m glad it was there when I needed the help.”
For more real stories visit: www.trusselltrust.org/real-stories
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FOODBANKS SET TO DISTRIBUTE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FOOD PARCELS IN HISTORY Between April and September 2016, Trussell Trust foodbanks across the UK distributed 519,342 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis. These staggering mid-year figures suggest that we are on course to distribute the highest number of food parcels in our history by April this year. “As the number of emergency food parcels provided to people by foodbanks rises once again, it is clear that more can be done to get people back on their feet.” David McAuley. To help provide more support we have called for a telephone ‘hotline’ to local Job Centres as another measure to help people out of crisis. Benefit delays and changes remain the biggest single reason for usage across
our network, accounting for 44% of referrals to foodbanks. We have found that a significant amount of time is spent on hold to DWP phone lines by foodbank managers, volunteers and welfare advisers on behalf of people in crisis, and we need to do something to improve this. We believe that a hotline would provide much needed trouble-shooting support for people referred to foodbanks because of problems with a welfare claim. It would also help reduce stress and negative impact on the mental health of the people being referred. A similar type of service is already operating at Coventry Foodbank. Of the people who received further assistance, 79 per cent do not return to the foodbank for further support. More than £700,000 was recouped for people in the form of restructured debts, benefits that they didn’t know they were eligible for, or overturned sanctions. The 2016/17 figures on foodbank usage will be released in April. Follow us @TrussellTrust to get all the updates.
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Benefit Sanctions and foodbank Usage Over the past year, we have been working with the University of Oxford to dig deeper into the reasons behind foodbank use. The findings will help us to develop our understanding of what leads someone to need a foodbank, and what changes are needed so that less people need foodbanks in the future. Foodbanks in our network have often reported that when someone’s benefit payments are stopped without warning people are referred to them because there is no money for food. Researchers analysing data from Trussell Trust foodbanks and 259 local authorities, found that as the rate of sanctioning increased within local authorities, so did the rate of foodbank use. This highlights a link between people having their benefit payments stopped and an increase in referrals to foodbanks. In response to this new evidence The Trussell Trust is calling for a change to the current sanctions system. A real difference could be made if people are given a non-financial ‘yellow card’
warning first, instead of an immediate stop to their income. If you’re late to your Job Centre appointment due to something outside of your control - like the bus running late – there should be a bit of breathing room. There is an opportunity to engage in a constructive conversation with someone, without the threat of an immediate financial penalty. “The findings from this ground-breaking study by the University of Oxford tell us once and for all: the more people sanctioned, the more people need foodbanks. We now need to listen to the stories behind the statistics; families go hungry, debts spiral, and the heating doesn’t go on even as the temperature drops.” Foodbank Network Director, Adrian Curtis says. The findings come from the first phase of a 16-month study into how trends in foodbank use over the last four years relate to changes in the economy and welfare system. Visit www.trusselltrust.org/research for more information.
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Alwyn’s Story “I cannot say thank you enough to the people at the foodbank.” The foodbank was a lifesaver for Alwyn, when he and his wife struggled to secure the work that they desperately needed.
It was through their local citizen’s advice centre that Alwyn and his family were referred to their local foodbank.
The father-of-two explains: “It was very tough. The longest period where we had nothing was a week and a half. I was giving kids sugar to keep their stamina up and hydrating them with lots of water.”
“The lady gave us a red ticket, I’d never forget it, it was like a kiss from God,” he explains. “She told us if we hand this in they will pack us food.”
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“You’ve never seen two adults run faster up the street, to make sure that by the time they get home their kids would have something to eat.”
Alwyn was also amazed when the foodbank surprised him with some festive treats a few days before Christmas: “We had a knock at the door, to be welcomed with big smiles and huge hampers, at a time when I couldn’t give my family anything.”
Alwyn and his wife were overwhelmed by the welcome they received when they arrived at the foodbank: “We got there and I burst into tears. They offered us a cup of coffee and a biscuit, and it was divine; I’ll never forget it.
Since then, Alwyn and his family’s circumstances have improved greatly. He and his wife are delighted to have both found permanent jobs and were happy to have been able to move out of their one bedroom apartment into a three-bedroom house.
And it wasn’t just food that they were able to support his family with: “We got toiletries and the people at the foodbank rallied to get us bunk-beds, tables and chairs,” he explained.
He said: “Our situation has changed dramatically and things are just going from strength to strength. I cannot say thank you enough to the people at the foodbank.”
“They give you support. I know the assistance, gratitude and love that I experienced from the foodbank.”
For more real stories visit: www.trusselltrust.org/real-stories
The gift that keeps on giving Leaving a gift in your Will is a wonderful way to continue to make a difference to the causes you care about even after you are gone.
Our work is only possible because of the generosity of our founders who decided to use the legacy they had been left to make a difference.
If you would like to find out more about leaving a legacy please visit www.trusselltrust.org/will or call 01722 580 178.
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Ever wondered if a running event is right for you? Running can be a great way to raise money for your favourite charity, have fun, and keep fit - it also requires a certain level of dedication. We hear from three supporters who are taking part in various running events in aid of the Trust this year. They tell us about their motivations for taking part and pass on a few tips to anyone considering taking up a running challenge.
Tony
Ffyona
Gavin
London Marathon
Edinburgh Half Marathon
Marathon des Sables
Why did you decide to take part in a running event?
yourself, try to stay motivated and it can be pretty tough.”
Tony: “I find it is a great stress reliever and something you can do cheaply and at any time, any place.”
Gavin: “A friend and I signed up for the 2009 Great South Run for a laugh, but we both finished the race though. I immediately signed up for the following year, and things have progressed from there, and I now run ultra-marathon distance races all over the world. Running can take you to some incredible places, with like-minded people, with drive, determination, and self-discipline.”
Ffyona: “I’ve done a couple of running events before and it’s such a great sense of achievement when you cross the finish line. Doing the half marathon feels like a new challenge. All the training means you have to really push
Spring 2017 Why did you decide to run for The Trussell Trust? Tony: “My parents struggled for money when I was growing up and I have some idea of what it must be like not to know where the next meal is coming from. I am not religious, but I really relate to The Trussell Trust’s Christian values and their non-judgemental attitude. I’ve started volunteering at my local foodbank and, when I saw this opportunity to raise money, I jumped at it.” Ffyona: “When I entered the Edinburgh half marathon I knew I wanted to fundraise for a cause that is supporting people who experience inequality. It’s startling to hear about the rise of food poverty in the UK and the consequent increased demand for foodbanks. I think organisations such as The Trussell Trust are as important as ever in providing a vital lifeline to people in crisis.” Gavin: “Charities like The Trussell Trust play a vital role in supporting local people in need. I see this as a long-term partnership, whereby I can both raise funds, and actively support the charitable work personally, through volunteering and promotion of the cause.” What tips would you pass on to someone considering taking up a running challenge? Tony: “Do it!! Start slowly and build up gradually. Join your local park-run – a free 5k run/walk every Saturday morning. If you have never run, begin by doing a mixture of walking and running and slowly cut down the walking bit. Above all, enjoy it.”
Newslink 19 Ffyona: “It’s good to enter a running event with friends so you can train with each other and keep each other motivated. There’s also a lot of really good running and fitness apps that can help you your monitor progress.” Gavin: “I would just say make a start, and take things one step at a time. Progress slowly and steadily, and build up your distance without thinking too far ahead. As you gain confidence, you will soon find that the world is your oyster, with an unlimited choice of races, of every conceivable distance and environment. You never know, within a few years’ time, you may be running across jungles, polar ice caps, mountains and deserts yourself!”
Have you been inspired? Do you want to raise some money for The Trussell Trust and get fit at the same time? Then why not take part in the London 10k on 9th July. We have a few places left, and are looking for some enthusiastic people to take part. To get involved get on your running shoes and sprint over to www.trusselltrust.org/events or call Mark Elling on 01722 580 177
Tea Time It will soon be National Tea Day (21st April) a celebration of Britain’s love affair with tea. So much more than a drink, tea brings people together and gets them talking, and is always on offer at our foodbanks. Join in the fun by holding your own Tea for Trussell party. For more information or to order your fundraising kit visit www.trusselltrust.org/tea-for-trussell
Contact us Unit 9, Ashfield Trading Estate, Ashfield Road, Salisbury SP2 7HL
twitter.com/trusselltrust
enquiries@trusselltrust.org
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01722 580 180
www.trusselltrust.org The Trussell Trust is a charity founded on Christian principles that partners with local communities to combat poverty in the UK. Registered Charity in England & Wales (1110522) and Scotland (SC044246). Registered Limited Company in England & Wales (5434524). Photography credits: Alexandra Smart, Richard Haydon, Joss Barratt, Tony Church, Gavin Barrett, Ffyona Taylor, Michelle & Craig O’Dare, Aston & Nechells Foodbank and New York Bakery.