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An alternative to food banks?

(112 Posts)
Elegran Wed 08-Jul-15 09:08:28

"In 1917, ministers in Lloyd George's government had agonised over the best way of combating hunger while Germany's U-boats disrupted Britain's food supply.

The government was keen to avoid the stigma of poverty associated with soup kitchen hand-outs . . . . ."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33275833

POGS Thu 09-Jul-15 11:33:55

Absent

I have found some figures re food banks in Australia and Tasmania , it looks worse than here if you rely on the internet for figures. No idea if that is true or not.

I am however interested to know ' how many ' food banks there are in Australia and Tasmania but I cannot find the answer , do you know please.

Anniebach Thu 09-Jul-15 12:29:19

But does quoting the number of food banks in other countries make the need for so many here make them more acceptable

trisher Thu 09-Jul-15 13:21:10

When i was growing up schools opened their kitchens and fed children right through the holidays. I remember asking why I couldn't go for a school dinner with some of the other children from my council estate and being told by my mum that they hadn't got a dad who was working. There was an idea then that everyone deserved to be properly fed and supported and it was the duty of local authorities and the government to do so. I think the present system feels like the Victorian era and the deserving and undeserving poor (now known as benefit scroungers).

rosesarered Thu 09-Jul-15 13:41:30

I was one of those children Trisher. Had to walk a mile and half there, and back again, it was very regimented when you got there and stern faced adults supervising.I would have preferred not to go and hated it, but yes, it did feed children in the school holidays.

rosesarered Thu 09-Jul-15 13:42:33

We were not allowed to go every day, I think it was 3 times a week.

durhamjen Thu 09-Jul-15 13:55:28

France has just passed a law to make supermarkets pass on food that would be wasted. Perhaps we need one here.

secure.avaaz.org/en/food_waste_loc/?bkHcnjb&v=61604

durhamjen Thu 09-Jul-15 13:57:51

www.feedbackglobal.org/stopdumping

rosesarered Thu 09-Jul-15 13:58:06

I would agree with that supermarket law. I think at the moment it is up to the supermarket itself. food should never be wasted.

durhamjen Thu 09-Jul-15 14:32:11

I agree, trisher. It'll be workhouses next, except that the one in this village has been turned into very nice flats.

By the way, the Avaaz link is a petition to sign to make it law here.

trisher Thu 09-Jul-15 17:30:02

Signed. Thanks. George is probably looking at workhouses right now, he just needs to think of a name that will make them more acceptable.

Anniebach Thu 09-Jul-15 17:46:57

.trisher how does the big society rest homes sound ?

Ana Thu 09-Jul-15 17:49:30

Surely there won't be any rest allowed! grin

Anniebach Thu 09-Jul-15 18:25:34

True no rest allowed but the big society doesn't exist so what's another untruth

trisher Thu 09-Jul-15 21:42:28

I was thinking of Scroungers Resettlement Hostels, but the Big Society would be good. So Big Society Scroungers Settlements! Must tell George now.

Anniebach Thu 09-Jul-15 21:57:27

When you speak to him would you mind reminding him his living wage of 7.20 which he brings in next year was the recommended living wage in 2011 and is now 7.85

Eloethan Fri 10-Jul-15 00:06:33

The Institute for Fiscal Studies, having analysed the figures, has now said that the rise in the living/minimum wage will in no way compensate low paid workers for the reduction in tax credits and may well leave them up to £1,000 a year worse off.

FarNorth Fri 10-Jul-15 00:46:28

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33429390

"From April 2016 the income threshold will go down from £6,420 to £3,850, meaning that far fewer people will be eligible to claim. "

FarNorth Fri 10-Jul-15 00:47:37

Oops sorry. Posted in the wrong topic. ^^

absent Fri 10-Jul-15 00:51:12

POGS I have no idea about the numbers of food banks in Australia and Tasmania. I don't even know the number where I live, although I am aware that child poverty is a serious cause for concern and that large numbers of children in some areas of the country go to school without any lunch, having not had any breakfast either.

trisher Fri 10-Jul-15 09:41:14

Anniebach he is probably operating several years behind the rest of us. Maybe that explains his policies-he actually thinks it's 1895 or something!

Anniebach Fri 10-Jul-15 09:42:01

I am irritated by the claim the minimum wage will become the living wage next year which means an increase from 6.50 ph to 7.20 ph. Not true , the minimum wage is to increase this October to 6.80 ph. so the rise will be .40p not .70p, and there would have been an increase in the minimum wage come October 2016 anyway , all that's changed is the minimum wage will be known as the living wage - which it is not

durhamjen Fri 10-Jul-15 13:44:32

I said somewhere else that the reason he's changing the name of the minimum wage is because they said in their manifesto that nobody working 30 hours on the minimum wage will have to pay tax.
If it's not called the minimum wage they can tax it. 30 hours a week on £7.20 an hour will be more than the tax threshold.
Of course, those under 25 will still be getting the nominal minimum wage.

Smoke and mirrors again in Osborneworld.

soontobe Fri 10-Jul-15 14:14:20

absent. Why do you think there is poverty now in Australia too?

trisher Fri 10-Jul-15 14:25:01

Does anybody really believe George when he talks about a "living wage"? It wasn't that long ago that the conservatives were saying a minimum wage would ruin businesses and opposed its introduction. Mind you they have now renamed everything- smoke and mirrors as you say dj, either that or we are on our way to living out 1984 (the novel!)

Riverwalk Fri 10-Jul-15 14:54:24

Is Absent an expert on Australia? I'm just wondering why she's being asked about food banks and poverty there confused.

She lives in New Zealand.