Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Tower Hamlets Foodbank
Our Journey
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is a project of First Love Foundation, a Christian charity founded in 2010
Our vision is to develop and innovate other projects concerned with tackling poverty & deprivation where it exists
We currently operate three foodbank centres on a weekly basis in Poplar / Bethnal Green & Spitalfields
About Us
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 1
Items of long-life food is
donated from right across
the local community
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 2
Food is sorted by type and
date then ‘banked’ in a
warehouse
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Low Income & Debt / Redundancy
Benefit Delay, Cut or Change /
Sanctions
Domestic Violence / Mental Health
Bereavement
Some of the reasons why
people are referred to Foodbank
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Access to the Foodbank service is by referral only
Our Voucher Holder Network (now over 210 strong) consists of:
Social Workers / GP’s / Health Visitors / Social Landlords / School Parental Liaison Workers / Advice
Centres / Pastoral Care Workers etc., and Jobcentreplus
Over half are statutory run agencies!
How Foodbank Works
Step 3
We work in partnership with a
network of Care Professionals who are best place to identify those in
need
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank Works
Step 4
Voucher Holders refer clients to our
foodbank centre via the
issuing of a voucher - where we give support,
advice
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank Works
Step 5
…and an emergency donation of
food (enough for a minimum of 3
days)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Most densely populated – 237,900 living in an area of 7.6 sq miles
High levels of deprivation – 72% - 2nd highest in London, 3rd in UK
About the income …
Canary Wharf – average salary £95k
Tower Hamlets – average salary £11.5k
About Tower Hamlets
The People
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Highest levels of Child Poverty in UK – 42%
Children regularly going to school without breakfast
Highest % of pupils on free school meals in UK
Free school meal is sometimes only meal of day
Poor Health - Vitamin D deficiency & Rickets
About Tower Hamlets
The Children
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• Our work has been heavily impacted by the Welfare Reforms
• Increase in numbers of local people needing emergency food support as a result of sanctions & benefit mal-administration – average delay period 3 months +
• More single people referrals – busier sessions
What we have seen over past
nine months
The Headlines
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• We fed 1780 people in 2012-13, we have fed 1860 in the past 9 months
• 15% increase in clients presenting with benefit change or delay (32% 2012/13, 47% 2013/14 ytd)
• 52% of clients seen in YTD 2013-14 were single, as compared to 45% in 2012-13
• 16 % of our clients came from JCPs in YTD 2013-14, as compared to 8% in 2012-13.
Stats – just quickly!!!
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• Have seen issues of starvation i.e. people passing out as a result of incorrect ceasing of benefits
• Problems people present with are more complex – need longer term support
• As a result of the aforementioned, more clients presenting with Mental Health issues – LBTH has also acknowledged this trend
• …. So advocacy has had to become a key element of our work
What we have seen over past
nine months
The Headlines
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Historical
Trussell Trust Model
Signposting & Emergency
Food
Listening Ear & Signposting
(THFb)
Emergency Food(THFb)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What the Service now looks like ..
Foodbank PLUS
JOINED UP WORKING
…the co-location of partners into
our foodbank sessions, with a particular focus
on addressing the crisis itself
as well as meeting the
material needs of someone
experiencing food CRISIS …
Triage (THFb)
Welfare Rights (CPAG)
Housing & Council Tax
Benefit / DHP(LBTH)
Crisis Grants(LBTH)
Emergency Food
(THFb)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• To continue to deliver the service at a level which has proved effective
• To secure clean, safe, permanent storage – and office space (instead of having to move every 6 mths etc)
• To attain sustainability
The Challenges
we face
FINANCIAL
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• Service is open to abuse – across borough and neighbouring boroughs
• Can’t totally rely on what client tells you
• Have had to put systems in place to reduce this - but resource intensive
• Facilitated by having open two-way relationships with our Voucher Holder Network through which we secure background information
The Challenges
we face
SAFEGUARDING THE
SERVICE
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
• Although there is overwhelming support for our work, there is also a lot of debate about the efficacy of foodbanks – so use every opportunity to educate about what is possible
• Need to maintain independence so we are not seen as an extension of the welfare state – one of the knock on effects is that support for our work could be impacted
• Watch out for the media & safeguard our clients (who tend to be mostly vulnerable) #benefitstreet
The Challenges
we face
MEDIA/PUBLIC
PERCEPTION
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
On a National level - where do I start?
On a Local level - “Welfare reforms are here for the long term – we are an emergency service – what’s your plan? We can either work in silos – or work together ….”
The Challenges
we face
POLITICS – Local &
National
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Thank You
Denise Bentley | Tower Hamlets foodbank Manager [email protected] | www.towerhamletsfoodbank.org.uk
mob: 07939 464946 | tel: 020 3609 0850
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Where the clients that
have accessed
the Foodbank
reside within the
borough of Tower
Hamlets
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Where the clients that
have accessed
the Foodbank
reside within the
borough of Tower
Hamlets
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
1. Sanctioned for 3 months for opting to go to a job interview instead of attending a JCP appointment – yes, JCP were correctly informed
2. Sanctioned for 3 months for attending a family funeral instead of a work programme – yes, JCP were correctly informed
3. Person with Brain Tumour incorrectly deemed fit to work – encouraged to sign up for JSA ... sanctioned as cannot work …should be on ESA
What does INJUSTICE look like?
SOME EXAMPLES
OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
1. DV victims – rehoused in TH for their own safety – unfurnished flat, sleeping on floor with young children – in Winter!
2. Mental Health sufferers – out of fear of asking for help – living in unfurnished flat for years, isolated – no fridge, cooker, bed, sofa …
3. As a result of no ESA for 4 months – client returned donated food - no cooker anyway, only microwave, but cannot cook food as electricity disconnected due to o/stdg bill of £90! BTW – was also due to be evicted the next week …
What does INJUSTICE
look like amongst the
most vulnerable?
SOME EXAMPLES
OF WHAT WE HAVE SEEN
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
“After my friends wouldn’t lend me any more money, went without food for 5
days in June & July, on each occasion I collapsed and was hospitalised due to
malnutrition & dehydration”
“I have skipped meals so my children can eat”
“Lived on a loaf of bread & apples each week – for 18 months”
“I have rifled through bins”
“I have eaten cigarette stubs”
“Survived on bread, butter and water**”
Question:
‘So tell me, what have
you done for food?
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love FoundationCharity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
“… Client lives with her son who is disabled and has learning difficulties - has virtually no food in her cupboards and due to debts, all but £3.45 of her income is taken up with paying off the debts and rent arrears.
“… lady in her 60s who lives on pension credit and income from a small cleaning job. Was homeless last year but a local charity was able to help her move into a flat where her rent is paid by Housing Benefit. She gets by on a small income by living frugally - a Christmas hamper would be a huge blessing to her”
Christmas Hamper Appeal
2013
Examples of nominations
Received so far
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