More than a million have used UK food banks in the past year

Herr Tubthumper · Apr 17, 2014

turienzo's lovechild said:
you probably can donate money but it would probably go towards running costs (overheads etc.). The food is either donated from individuals or from supermarkets (some are more generous than others). Recipients are from referral only (either from charities like the one I work for, or in some cases the council). Once a referral is made, an appointment time is set and you head along and pretty much take as much as you can carry. You can donate any food but consider the target audience....a fiver of pasta will be better appreciated than a fiver of houmous for example. They also provide things like bedding and kitchen equipment.

(this is from the one example that I work regularly with....to my knowledge it's the largest in Brighton)

more info is here- the website is a bit cheesy and christian but there is some important stuff on there

http://www.brightonandhovecitymission.org.uk/activities/basics-bank/

As an aside there is some cross over with the work the Frau used to do. She worked in mental health for many years and when clients moved from sheltered accom to their own place they used similar charities for home start up packs.

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
I have to say that I didn't realise the scale of the problem. I just googled "food banks near me", and there are four in a 10 mile radius - Farnham and Fleet being the nearest to me and these are affluent areas. I shall be donating food from now on, now that I know where they are.

You don't have to go to the foodbank to donate food. Have you not noticed that most supermarkets now have places where you can donate food?

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

Uncle C said:
I came from a poor family of 8 kids, but my dad worked everyday of his life as a hospital porter, so probably on or near the lowest of wage earners. We did this by managing the income against the outgoings. Food and heat were top of the list - after that EVERYTHING was a luxury.

I dont think any of us kids had the sense of entitlement that exist today.

This is about food banks. It's not unreasonable to feel entitled to eat.

Mr Bridger · Apr 17, 2014

Does the church contribute to food banks? I assume they must do as almost every other week i see some clergy commenting on the matter.

The Antikythera Mechanism · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
You don't have to go to the foodbank to donate food. Have you not noticed that most supermarkets now have places where you can donate food?

No I haven't noticed this in any of the Supermarkets I use. Waitrose (Frimley) Sainsburys (Burpham & Badshot Lea). But thanks for the info, I'll keep my eyes open.

father_and_son · Apr 17, 2014

Mellor 3 Ward 4 said:
Agreed, but I do think the figure is a slightly false one. One million visits to a food bank, not one million people or families.

Could be 100,000 people wash visiting 10 times. Still far too high, but the figure is misleading.

We appear to be the only two who see this one!

Its not even a f*cking million visits!! That was the headline on the story, while the text actually said 913,000 visits.

As I rather pedantically pointed out earlier, this could be as little as 19,000 families.

"Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics." - bane of my life!

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

father_and_son said:
We appear to be the only two who see this one!

Its not even a f*cking million visits!! That was the headline on the story, while the text actually said 913,000 visits.

As I rather pedantically pointed out earlier, this could be as little as 19,000 families.

"Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics." - bane of my life!

Only 19,000 families unable to afford food. Well, that's alright then.

Uncle C · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
This is about food banks. It's not unreasonable to feel entitled to eat.

Agree entirely, but not to those that have blown their money on non essentials and then expect others to provide them with free food.

father_and_son · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
This is about food banks. It's not unreasonable to feel entitled to eat.

But the point made by [MENTION=2393]Uncle C[/MENTION] was that food seems to be a little further down some people's priority lists than it used to be. From personal experience I agree.

I know of people who would spend the last money in their pockets on a pack of fags ahead of paying any bill, doing something for the kids or very probably, buying food. There are enough of these that I know or see regularly to make me think that's its endemic (maybe not to extent the Daily Mail would have everyone believe), but otherwise ordinary, nice people with some mixed up priorities.

Nothing to do with politics or, indeed, wealth but there is a seriously f*cked up view of what's essential and what's a luxury in some people's lives.

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
No I haven't noticed this in any of the Supermarkets I use. Waitrose (Frimley) Sainsburys (Burpham & Badshot Lea). But thanks for the info, I'll keep my eyes open.

Normally it's a largish basket/ cage which you would pass after going through the checkouts.

The Large One · Apr 17, 2014

Whatever the correct figure is, or however you want to interpret it, it's still alarming.

There were 913,138 food parcels were handed out by Tressell Food Banks, but Tressell only run 37% of the UK's food banks.

father_and_son · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
Only 19,000 families unable to afford food. Well, that's alright then.

Didn't say it was alright.... but its a VERY different number to the "over 1 million" being banded around!

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

Uncle C said:
Agree entirely, but not to those that have blown their money on non essentials and then expect others to provide them with free food.

And how many visits to food banks have been made by people who have simply blown all their money on non essentials? No doubt you'll have some sort of idea as you're so sure it happens.

Uncle C · Apr 17, 2014

We have a local food bank. If you stand outside its not difficult to spot people loading up nice cars, or arriving in taxis, then phoning home on their iphones to report they have made the pick up.

But I suppose you will insist either my eyesight is fading or all those trimmings are borrowed for the occasion.

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

father_and_son said:
Didn't say it was alright.... but its a VERY different number to the "over 1 million" being banded around!

If a million visits have been made, a million visits have been made. I'm struggling to see the difference between 1 million people being unable to afford food once, and a lesser number being unable to afford it more than once.

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

Uncle C said:
We have a local food bank. If you stand outside its not difficult to spot people loading up nice cars, or arriving in taxis, then phoning home on their iphones to report they have made the pick up.

But I suppose you will insist either my eyesight is fading or all those trimmings are borrowed for the occasion.

No. Assuming you were addressing me. But it might occur to me to wonder if those people were picking up food on behalf of someone else who isn't able to make the trip.

Uncle C · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
No. Assuming you were addressing me. But it might occur to me to wonder if those people were picking up food on behalf of someone else who isn't able to make the trip.

Sorry, how could I have missed that. It must be lovely living in your perfect world.

Silk · Apr 17, 2014

Uncle C said:
Sorry, how could I have missed that. It must be lovely living in your perfect world.

Argument fail.

Butch Willykins · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
Normally it's a largish basket/ cage which you would pass after going through the checkouts.

I thought that was for Dog/Cat Food donations. Ooops.

father_and_son · Apr 17, 2014

Silk said:
If a million visits have been made, a million visits have been made. I'm struggling to see the difference between 1 million people being unable to afford food once, and a lesser number being unable to afford it more than once.

Fair enough - good job you're not a politician then, because the solution for 913,000 single-use visitors would be radically different to that for 19,000 habitual users and if you can't see the difference then there's fat chance you could offer a reasonable solution.

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