Special Report on the Bishop's Stortford Food bank
Emma Njagi & Orla Kenny
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‘We are here to support people in our community who need it’ says Calvin Horner, co-ordinator of the Bishop's Stortford Food Bank, who has been at the branch for over 2 years. In the summer of 2012, Mione Goldspink, now chairman of the Stortford branch, and some others realised that although Stortford is a wealthy area, ‘there was a need in this town... a small need but a definite need’ says Mione today. ‘So then we decided we must do something about it.’ After opening in February 2013 at the Methodist church on South Street, they helped 600 people that year alone, with 724 helped in 2014.
There has been a huge rise in the number of people using Food Banks nationally, up from 41,000 in 2009-10 to 1.1 million last year. The main Food Bank coordinator in the UK, the Trussell Trust, has said recent welfare reforms have caused an increase in the need for Food Banks, with delays in benefit payments being the most common reason for Food Bank use. There can be a perception of the people who use Food Banks as scroungers, but the reality is a shocking number of people, in a country as rich and developed as Britain, cannot afford to feed themselves. |
So how does the Food Bank work? After being referred to the Food Bank from a supporting organisation, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau or the YMCA, the guests - as the volunteers call them - are greeted with tea, coffee and biscuits. The voucher they would have brought from the referring organisation is checked to make sure everything is in order, the guests are asked for proof of identity, and then they are given their 3 days of emergency food. The Food Bank does not just aid people through food donations, though. Mione says ‘we do not want to encourage dependency’ – they want people to move on from a crisis, and guide them to other organisations, such as the Bishop's Stortford Money Advice Service.
During our interview we are joined by Glen and Jane, two volunteers out of the 45 who help out at the Stortford Food Bank, which is open Monday to Friday 10-12:30pm, during which times you can drop off food for donation. Who do they help? ‘We’re seeing quite a lot of people who are homeless, or in temporary accommodation, or living with people- sofa surfing’ says Calvin. If these people didn’t get the help they need, we are told of how they could have to resort to stealing – ‘survival crime’- or parents go hungry to prioritise feeding their children.
People who have needed the Food Bank in the past have come back and donated food on a regular basis. Calvin describes the actions of individuals who have had the support of the Food Bank and then supported other people in need as ‘touching.’ This example of the help going full circle represents the great thing about Food Banks - they are the community helping the community, people coming together to aid other locals when the government safety net has failed. And it is so easy to contribute. You may only think of the Food Bank as needing food donations, but it costs £1000 a month to run the charity, and money is described as a ‘constant struggle.’ They raise money through fundraisers like coffee mornings, such as one that raised £305 in January. However, their core funding is from individuals and organisations that donate on a regular basis.
So what do the volunteers say to those who suggest the government should be responsible for making sure its citizens are able to eat? ‘There are lots of flaws within the benefits system and we do think the system could be improved,’ says Mione. One such flaw could be that benefit delays have been occurring, typically of lengths of 5 weeks, with delays of up to 20 weeks not being uncommon. Calvin adds, ‘I don’t think the government system will always meet everybody’s needs, but where it does break down then it’s good that the community come together and support each other, that’s what the charity is doing.’
The Food Bank undoubtedly makes an invaluable contribution to support those in need in the community. The underlying issue however is that food banks shouldn’t need to exist, or at least the demand and strain on them shouldn’t be as urgent as it is currently. Regardless of the wider debate we should do all we can to support the Food Bank as it is currently an unfortunate necessity. It is so easy to directly help the charity and the people it benefits, such as by making regular donations of food or money to our town’s branch.
During our interview we are joined by Glen and Jane, two volunteers out of the 45 who help out at the Stortford Food Bank, which is open Monday to Friday 10-12:30pm, during which times you can drop off food for donation. Who do they help? ‘We’re seeing quite a lot of people who are homeless, or in temporary accommodation, or living with people- sofa surfing’ says Calvin. If these people didn’t get the help they need, we are told of how they could have to resort to stealing – ‘survival crime’- or parents go hungry to prioritise feeding their children.
People who have needed the Food Bank in the past have come back and donated food on a regular basis. Calvin describes the actions of individuals who have had the support of the Food Bank and then supported other people in need as ‘touching.’ This example of the help going full circle represents the great thing about Food Banks - they are the community helping the community, people coming together to aid other locals when the government safety net has failed. And it is so easy to contribute. You may only think of the Food Bank as needing food donations, but it costs £1000 a month to run the charity, and money is described as a ‘constant struggle.’ They raise money through fundraisers like coffee mornings, such as one that raised £305 in January. However, their core funding is from individuals and organisations that donate on a regular basis.
So what do the volunteers say to those who suggest the government should be responsible for making sure its citizens are able to eat? ‘There are lots of flaws within the benefits system and we do think the system could be improved,’ says Mione. One such flaw could be that benefit delays have been occurring, typically of lengths of 5 weeks, with delays of up to 20 weeks not being uncommon. Calvin adds, ‘I don’t think the government system will always meet everybody’s needs, but where it does break down then it’s good that the community come together and support each other, that’s what the charity is doing.’
The Food Bank undoubtedly makes an invaluable contribution to support those in need in the community. The underlying issue however is that food banks shouldn’t need to exist, or at least the demand and strain on them shouldn’t be as urgent as it is currently. Regardless of the wider debate we should do all we can to support the Food Bank as it is currently an unfortunate necessity. It is so easy to directly help the charity and the people it benefits, such as by making regular donations of food or money to our town’s branch.
Want to Help?
Interact in conjunction with the Network is going to be launching a new initiative to help raise food and money for this amazing charity. We know that people at Herts and Essex will be keen to support this new initiative so that people in our community won't have to go hungry when they hit on hard times. Watch this space to find out more.
In the meantime you can you can contact the food bank directly if you would like to make a donation of food or money by contacting Mione at [email protected] or by calling (01279) 656634
In the meantime you can you can contact the food bank directly if you would like to make a donation of food or money by contacting Mione at [email protected] or by calling (01279) 656634