Page 47 - Phonebox Magazine December 2014

Families in our communities are going hungry
Food banks aren’t just for Christmas
Mischa Allen
Aquick Google of food banks leads to a lot of numbers, but the main one is 13 million. That’s more than one fifth of the UK’s population, and they are
living under the poverty line.
The next is 900,000, the number of people in the UK who were fed by food banks at one point in the past year. This is more than the population of Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire combined.
More than a third of those were children, and it doesn’t include those with no access to food banks, too ashamed to ask for help or coping by eating as cheap as possible.
Lastly, we have 11,000. That is how many hampers were given out by the MK Food Bank last year to feed hungry families, individuals and couples. To put it in perspective, that’s more food parcels than the population of Olney, if it doubled in size. And that’s just in Milton Keynes.
The future doesn’t hold a miracle answer to stopping this either, and industry experts believe these numbers will only grow. Many turn to agencies that direct them to food banks thanks to benefit delays and personal crisis.
Arriving at a small unit on the edge of Milton Keynes, I thought I had somehow gone to the wrong place it was so quiet, but inside was a buzz of activity. It’s a busy time of year, with the harvest finishing and Christmas looming. Campaigns are in place across the country to raise awareness, asking communities to provide anything to give those in need the Christmas they deserve. But it is just as important to make sure people don’t go hungry all year round.
How can you help?
The main food banks in the area include: MK Food Bank (mkfoodbank.org.uk), Northampton Food Bank (northamptonfoodbank.org.uk) and Bedford Food Bank (as run by The Trussell Trust). With the centres in towns, and collection points in various churchs and halls, there isn’t many in this area. In fact, there isn’t a single collection point, for members of the public to drop off food in Olney or Newport Pagnell (yet).
Nicholas Brinner, the Business Development Manager, and John Marshall, the Project Manager at MK Food Bank.
Shopping list
Biscuits
Sugar (500g) Milk (long life) Spaghetti (tinned) Meat (tinned) Vegetables (tinned) Tuna (tinned) Fruit (tinned) Rice pudding (tinned) Soup (tinned) Fruit juice (long life) Baked beans (tinned) Tomatoes (tinned) Dry rice (500g) Dry pasta (500g) Pasta sauce Cup-a-soup
Jam
Tea bags/coffee Tin opener
For December, Phonebox Magazine’s office (Stanley Court, Olney) will become your personal drop off point for long life and tinned food items, which the team at MK Food Bank will pick up. Anything that is on the list opposite, and in date until at least March 2015, can be used.
Phonebox Magazine 47