What are your views on food banks and warm banks?

Aveline

It's not just us. I just googled food banks in Europe and found that there were 962 in Germany alone. The Scandinavian countries also have them. I'm not excusing the government but it seems that relative poverty is not rare in Western Europe.

You might find the numbers here more depressing

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8585/#:~:text=How%20many%20food%20banks%20are,least%201%2C172%20independent%20food%20banks.

I suspect that is an under estimation too

Ilovecheese

MayBee70 the people who sponsored runners who were unable to attend due to the rail strike are perfecting at liberty to pay up anyway under the circumstances.

I know they can. But it’s still sad for the runners who have trained for a long time for this event. And the point I was trying to make is that Mick Lynch said on national tv that the strike would not affect the marathon and that was wrong.

MayBee70 the people who sponsored runners who were unable to attend due to the rail strike are perfecting at liberty to pay up anyway under the circumstances.

It's not just us. I just googled food banks in Europe and found that there were 962 in Germany alone. The Scandinavian countries also have them. I'm not excusing the government but it seems that relative poverty is not rare in Western Europe.

I know Barmeyoldbat - it’s a very worrying situation. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we have a GE and a government that cares???

Yes Lizziedrip but what is the alternative until we have that much needed changed.

It shouldn’t be so but what’s the alternative.
Simple: a change of government!

Gandhi said, ‘the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members’. This government has shown, loud and clear, how little regard it has for its most vulnerable. Very, very sad and worrying!

Regarding volunteers taking on the role of the state, it is something I am very concerned about too. Expecting volunteers to deal with complex issues that require specialist input just isn't acceptable. Befriending schemes are being asked to provide respite and specialist support to families who have disabled children for example. Women volunteering for women's groups are being asked to provide counselling and support for women on witness protection schemes. I just don't feel it is acceptable.

A very good point JaneJudge?

If we don’t have food banks people will suffer at the hands of this uncaring government. Our local council have set up warm hubs in the Youth Centre which I might add is also run by volunteer. Here you can get a hot drink and cake, keep warm even take part in some activities or just chill out with a book. It shouldn’t be so but what’s the alternative.

On the subject of charities, a lot of people that were going to run in the London marathon will struggle to register in time because of the rail strike. Whatever one’s views are on charities a lot of people run in the marathon to raise money in memory of a loved one and it’s not easy to get a place in the race. Mick Lynch said on HIGNFY that the rail strike won’t affect the marathon but it will because you have to register by 5.30 the previous day. DD had to travel down on Friday night as she was worried that she wouldn’t get there for 5.30 today. It also meant having to pay for another nights accommodation. Running the London marathon is often a once in a lifetime for many peopleI know I keep saying that I totally support unions and the right to strike ( and I really mean that) but I think it’s important that those strikes don’t alienate the wrong people. My son did a charity run last week to raise money for something close to his heart and we would have been very upset if any strike action had prevented that as it was a long time in the planning.

I know people give to charities out of the goodness of their hearts - BUT doing this is often actually exacerbating problems.

The Tories stated that the 'Loved Foodbanks'' Of course they did, these helped to take away from the state itself the necessity of ensuring that ALL its citizens had enough money to eat properly, and allowed their government to continue the policies which helped the rich become richer.

So food banks (2,500plus) of them are an accepted way of life along with zero hour contracts, extremely low basic wages, etc. Now it is Warm Banks - not very off we will return to the Victorian means of charity medical care for those same workers, etc.

Any Society can only be judged by how they look after their more vulnerable members. UK - 2022 is totally failing.

My point being that of course, children love to help but is this normalising the idea for them?

Charleygirl5

I do worry that fairly soon the food banks may not be receiving the number of goods they have in the past because of the meteoric cost of living for all of us. Those that donated freely in the past may still donate but not so much.

Words fail me when people are told to visit libraries for warmth. Some, like mine, are open very part-time and certainly not 24/7.

It's Harvest Festival time for schools and churches.

Instead of the usual marrows, tomatoes, runner beans, five barley loaves etc, schools now collect food for the local food bank.

I've just staggered home with tins of fruit etc.

Of course food banks, family support etc should not be necessary in a country like UK. Until things improve though they are providing a very valuable service. The danger lies I suppose in seeing this as the norm.

Charleygirl5

I do worry that fairly soon the food banks may not be receiving the number of goods they have in the past because of the meteoric cost of living for all of us. Those that donated freely in the past may still donate but not so much.

Words fail me when people are told to visit libraries for warmth. Some, like mine, are open very part-time and certainly not 24/7.

And many libraries have been closed down.

Regarding volunteers taking on the role of the state, it is something I am very concerned about too. Expecting volunteers to deal with complex issues that require specialist input just isn't acceptable. Befriending schemes are being asked to provide respite and specialist support to families who have disabled children for example. Women volunteering for women's groups are being asked to provide counselling and support for women on witness protection schemes. I just don't feel it is acceptable.

Yes JaneJudge. Many people who use food banks do so because they are in low paid jobs - often working 2 jobs to try and make ends meet. But, with few workers rights, they’re at the mercy of unscrupulous employers (0 hours contracts, no sick pay etc). Indeed, people in such jobs may be worse off than those on (some) benefits.

i agree with LizzieDrip 100%

Exactly Ladyleftfieldlover. The normalisation of food banks etc just lets the government off the hook. Well-meaning volunteers are taking on the role of the state. Outrageous! We’re not living in Victorian times - although it often feels like it.

Can I say something though, re the disabled. My adult daughter has a severe disability and is never short of food as her benefits cover the costs of her very ordinary and not in anyway flash lifestyle. I think people who are accessing these food banks are actually people on very low wages aren't they?

There were stories a few years ago about people over 60 (or is it 65?) using their bus passes to keep warm on the bus throughout the day.

I do agree there shouldn't be a need for food or warm banks. I just don't know what to suggest as people need them and we are in a situation where we are becoming more and more like America and it's frightening.

I despair that such things as food banks have been normalised. If the government provided sufficient help for the less well off, food banks wouldn’t be needed. But the government now sees thousands of us giving food and money to charity so they don’t need to. In addition, this sort of thing is happening with the environment too. Rivers, for example, are becoming filthy but rather than people being paid to clear up the mess, there are now any number of volunteers willing to do the hard work for free. This country is becoming a grave disappointment. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I believe a lot of our problems date back to Brexit. Whether we voted for it or not (I didn’t) the aftermath has been handled badly. Not just the economy but the way anyone from outside the UK is treated. We seem to be back in the xenophobic and uncaring 1950s.

I do worry that fairly soon the food banks may not be receiving the number of goods they have in the past because of the meteoric cost of living for all of us. Those that donated freely in the past may still donate but not so much.

Words fail me when people are told to visit libraries for warmth. Some, like mine, are open very part-time and certainly not 24/7.

I understand your points, LizzieDrip but, however caring a society, there will always be a need for charities to exist and people will always want to give to others in need by helping, fundraising or simply donating money.

Whether the need for charities to provide basic necessities such as food and warmth, hospice care, sea rescues, is right in a so-called civilised society is debatable.

Wasn’t it Cameron that said people needed to rely on charities. So, yet again, we were warned about where the politics of this country was heading.