Let's talk food poverty with Oxfam and Unilever - read how MN bloggers got on during a recent visit - you could win a £250 voucher NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

As you may know we have been working with Oxfam and Unilever to showcase their efforts with the work currently being undertaken via their partners Trussell Trust and FareShare with foodbanks in the UK. All together the support from Unilever is worth over 2 million meals to those in need.

You can find out more about the project, and Oxfam’s role here: here

Unilever says "Many UK families struggle to make ends meet. At Unilever, we are working with Oxfam, and its partners, Trussell Trust and FareShare to turn this around. We see a bright future where people from every background can thrive"

Since 2012, Unilever has helped provide nearly two million meals by supporting Oxfam’s work in the UK. This has included helping to set up foodbanks with the Trussell Trust and enabling the distribution of good quality surplus food through FareShare.

Oxfam recently hosted 4 MN bloggers for a day where they learnt about the projects first hand - they say "we were pleased to give the chance for the bloggers to explore, engage and to inspire them to write about food poverty in the UK and Oxfam's role in addressing the issue".

You can read about how the bloggers got on my reading their - sometimes very moving - blog posts by clicking on their names below:

In this post, Being Tilly's Mummy describes her own experience of struggling to feed her family, and how going to a food bank helped her get back on her feet, on a practical level, but also emotionally. Visiting Brent reminded her that a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear is sometimes just as important as receiving the food.

Blogger WitWitWoo wasn't sure what to expect when she visited the Trussell Trust's food bank - especially when she learnt it was in a church - and was a little nervous about the experience. But what she found a warm, safe, welcoming environment, free from judgement.

For Joy to the World, the experience made her realise how important it is to bust taboos around using food banks - she found laughter and camaraderie there, and was struck by the kindness and generosity of local business owners who were donating food.

For casa costello - who went to Liverpool - she was overwhelmingly aware of the dingity - saying "nNo-one should be made to feel worthless or embarrassed about needing the help and this was such a strong message at Crosby"

themeltonhouse was unable to attend at the last minute but also blogged

On this thread we'd like to hear about your perceptions and possibly experiences of foodbanks. For example; have you made a direct donation, does your business get involved with this scheme, have you been on the receiving end of a foodbank, do you think you need support like this?

Sometimes this is a contentious issue, but whatever your view, please post your thoughts below. As a gesture of thanks, one winner who posts will win a £250 voucher for the store of their choice (from Unilever).

Please add your comment by 2 January 2015. Standard Insight T&Cs apply

One last point, in France they have them a few times a year in supermarkets and always have people at the entrance handing out bags and suggested donation lists, Supermarkets donate a lot of stuff and the banks are very accessible even in small rural areas, every commune no matter how small has a mairie and you go there and they arrange a food parcel

I am aware of them but am alarmed and saddened that in the 21st Century they're on the increase. It's not a good reflection on society that there is this need for charity at this basic level. BUT the job that the food banks is doing is fantastic and they should be applauded for providing a safety net for families/people in need.

I'm ashamed to say that I've not contributed (although I do lots of RTs from the Trussell Trust) but would do if there were permanent donation banks at the large supermarkets. We don't have a car and don't live near any of the food banks so it would be an undertaking too far for us at the moment.

Yes, yes, yes to points donation too - you could almost have a till feature so that people without clubcards (and with them) could donate by default or opt to do so at checkout...So many points must currently be absorbed by the supermarkets because plenty of customers choose not to have loyalty cards but can't believe most wouldn't rather see the points go to a good cause rather than back into the supermarkets' coffers...

Another alternative would be to have a 'food bank basket' attached to one's 'trolley' for online shopping so one could opt to load that with goods bound for the charity- as long as we the customers could be assured that the supermarkets ensure the virtually donated goods do actually reach their destination!

And what about a food bank equivalent of the Samaritan's Purse 'box' for Christmas - it could equate to a food hamper or a shoebox filled with goodies for a child/adult???

Still think it's a disgrace that food banks are required - it makes me think of workhouses and Victorian Britain - but if they're needed, we all should be doing our utmost to support them.

Food banks should not be necessary. Half of the referrals made, according to Trussell Trust statistics, are due to benefits delays, sanctions and reductions. Whether people are working or not, Welfare administration and policy are the primary cause for the increased need for food banks.

This is a scandal, because it's not like the Government is being asked to solve the national debt crisis by next week. It needs to pull it's socks up with benefits payments and stop persecuting the most vulnerable. It could do that by the end of January IF IT WANTED TO.

I think food banks are amazing, I try to add an item the donation trolley at my local shop each time I go in. im on maternity leave and so we don't have much to spare but this is a simple way of helping others and something most of us can do which makes a difference. I'd much rather give to a food bank than to the 'chuggers' who harass me to sign up for direct debits most days at the shops or on my doorstep. My work also have a box where we can contribute food or toiletry items to a local woman's refuge which I think is great. I think having more places where you can donate food would be good (if oxfam shops had food donation trolleys that would help). I like the idea of being able to donate loyalty points too. It's really interesting hearing more about how the food banks actually operate from the bloggers who've seen first hand what happens with the donations.

Half of the referrals made, according to Trussell Trust statistics, are due to benefits delays, sanctions and reductions. Whether people are working or not, Welfare administration and policy are the primary cause for the increased need for food banks.This is a scandal, because it's not like the Government is being asked to solve the national debt crisis by next week. It needs to pull it's socks up with benefits payments and stop persecuting the most vulnerable. It could do that by the end of January IF IT WANTED TO

YY. Mumsnet campaign, anyone?

I felt so honoured to have been asked to visit the Food bank in Brent and to see them at work. since writing my post for Mumsnet, I have experienced one of the worst xmases ever. Without friends buying gifts for my 4 year old and another friend kindly gifting me £50 to spend on a tesco food shop we wouldnt of been able to have a christmas. Gifts for my older children and my 4 year old were made of free things I had collected from blogging and second hand toys that friends had given me. But we were all together and as hard as things were this xmas, My thoughts were with the families we met at the food bank. Sometimes no matter how things are hard for you, there is always someone worse off. Keep up the donations guys, its always appreciated and if you can give some time - please do as they always need volenteers. I think its great that Mumsnet are sharing this.

BigFoot - where do we start?

Well, turns out there was a campaign called "End Hunger Fast" which wrapped up earlier this month. Not sure how it didn't make it's way onto my radar, but anyway the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger in the United Kingdom produced a report with a series of recommendations in on Dec 8 - it would be interesting to know if MNHQ/MNetters have a view on this report and its recommendations:
foodpovertyinquiry.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/food-poverty-feeding-britain-final.pdf

If it's felt that these recommendations are sensible and constructive, then it would be nice to have some entity holding Government to account for implementing them in a timely fashion. That entity could potentially be MN, if MNHQ are comfortable taking a stand on this?

I've just skimmed the report and it's a comprehensive set of recommendations from what I've read. I'd be interested to know who (in government) will be reading it and why there hasn't been any media coverage (or has there?).

I've donated through church before, but what would be really good is if the supermarkets could offer you the opportunity to donate when you shop online.

I so rarely go in store these days, and it shouldn't be difficult to be offered either a choice from items the food bank wants or to donate a cash amount for the supermarket to "donate" on my behalf. The items I can order are based on the store which my order comes from so they could link with a local food bank and list items they actually need. And I suspect giving you the option to round up to the nearest £1, £5 or £10 would make a surprising amount.

Otherwise, definitely put a reminder by the entrance to the shops, not just a box for donations by the exit!

Posts on mumsnet have opened my eyes to what a lifeline food banks are and I've donated more as a result. I felt especially sad thinking about people/children who have to go without at Christmas and stuck a load of treats in our local trolley last time.
I've not needed to use a food bank but I've had a random act of kindness from a stranger in my moment of need. That stayed with me and made me want to pass on a good deed.
Only one of our local supermarkets has a food bank trolley, I don't know why our big sainsburys doesn't?

It was due to a post on Mumsnet that prompted me to donate to a foodbank. It was a bit daunting donating directly to them (I felt like I was playing Lady Bountiful) but the ladies who ran it, were lovely. They talked to me a little bit about their customers and said that it was nice to see people who had used them in the past coming back to donate. One man, even drops round some money so that they can buy some of the items that they need most. It was a very humbling experience, but I really need to donate more often.
I do think it is a disgrace that they are still needed - in this day and age, nobody should be in food poverty.

I haven't visited a food bank myself it do know some families of children I teach who do need to. We do collection in our school and take them to the local food bank. I donate via this and it's a great thing to educate our pupils about as well.

I shop online so it's not easy to donate directly from my shop but we will take things to the local church who do a collection. I'd love an easy option on my online shopping to be able to do more. I have found MN really helpful in understanding what are useful things to donate (nappies, for example).

Well done Unilever, was a bit sceptical about project sunlight, but this scheme is something tangibly generous

strawberrycreams wins the £250 voucher. Well done and thanks for all the comments.

my childrens school had a collection of food for the foodbank just before xmas and also had a collecton of gifts for the foodbank so children of families who use the foodbank would have something to open on xmas day. foodbanks are a great idea...