The anti-poverty charity is being helped by Tesco and its army of shoppers as hunger bites (Image: Humphrey Nemar)
You can help us bring the Christmas spirit to life.
Wrapping up parcels, adding a special little something to brighten someone’s , sticking on the kettle ready to welcome the people you care about – it’s a common scene in many homes this festive season.
It’s also a scene that will be played out in more than 1,400 food banks within Trussell’s community as teams across the UK prepare to support hundreds of thousands of people who are facing hardship this winter.
As many of us brace ourselves to battle the crowds doing their last-minute Christmas shopping, significant numbers of people will be steeling themselves to step into a food bank and ask for help.
No one wants to have to turn to a charity for something so essential as food. are a last resort for people who’ve been left isolated, facing hunger, and without enough money to live on.
Yet winter is the busiest time for our food banks. Last year, between November and February, they provided more than 1.1 million emergency food parcels, and we are expecting another tough few months ahead, this year. Food banks are having to invest a significant amount of time and resources into ensuring that they have enough food to support everyone who turns to them for help.
We are facing a perilous situation as for yet another year food banks are pushed to breaking point as thousands of families have no option but to seek their help.
The food banks in the Trussell community strive to be a turning point in someone’s life by connecting them to the right support for things like mental health, housing or social security, making it less likely they will need a food bank in the future.
They are also a lifeline, offering kindness and a space to be heard. One in four (26%) people coming to food banks have little to no social contact and almost half of all people referred to food banks (45%) said they hadn’t received other advice before accessing support from the food bank.
The conversation over a cup of tea offered by many food banks is often the first-time people feel listened to, but the current extremely high levels of need are making it harder than ever for food bank staff and volunteers to find the capacity to offer this support.
Right now, we urgently need your help to make sure food banks can be there for people this winter.
And thanks to Tesco, it is easier than ever to support your local food bank.
From November 25-30 the Winter Food Collection will be taking place in more than 1,000 Tesco stores across the UK, with all items donated going directly to a food bank or charity providing support to people facing hardship in your local area.
It is the largest food drive in the UK and last year, the generosity of customers meant that Trussell food banks received the equivalent of 1.5 million meals in donated items which kept them going through their busiest period.
Additionally, approximately £250,000 was generated by people rounding up their shop at till or adding a donation to their online shop. These vital funds ensured that food banks could continue to deliver wider programmes to support people to lift themselves out of poverty.
This year, you can also help food banks while enjoying a festive treat as Tesco is donating 10p per item from the sale of some of their most popular gingerbread products.
So, whether it’s by building a gingerbread house or dunking a biscuit into your brew, you can play your part in helping families facing hardship. This is on top of the year-round financial and logistical support
that Tesco provides to Trussell’s food banks to keep them going.
Across the UK our incredible food bank teams are working tirelessly to ensure that they can be there to support their communities this winter. But while the work of the Trussell community fills me with immense pride, and many people see the generosity of our teams as the embodiment of the Christmas spirit, it shouldn’t have to be this way. We cannot go on like this.
We know the solutions that will end hunger for good and we know it is possible to end the need for food banks in the UK.
I know that Christmas is an expensive time but, if you can afford to, I encourage you to add an extra item to your shop or make a donation to support people in your local area.
Or, if you’re not in a position to donate, please stop and chat to the volunteers who will be in store and find out how you can join us in building a future where no one needs a food bank to survive.