Wandsworth Foodbank ‘busier than ever’ this Christmas

Sarah Chapman, the co-founder of Wandsworth Foodbank spoke with the Wandsworth Times about how their foodbank is working over the festive period.

Sarah began her work with the Wandsworth Foodbank as a volunteer and trustee when it first opened in 2013.

She officially became the foodbank's Advocacy and Communications Manager in the summer of 2020.

Sarah told the Wandsworth Times that during the festive period, the foodbank tends to see an “increase in people being referred” and the last week has felt “busier than ever”.

Image credit to Wandsworth Foodbank

Wandsworth Foodbank provides emergency food, support, and advice to those experiencing financial problems.

The company belongs to the Trussell Trust Network and has long term goals to help end poverty.

Sarah said the Wandsworth foodbank has had “similar levels of need to 2020” but has “doubled” the needs compared to before the pandemic.

She said: “We've been providing around 1,000 emergency food parcels a month to Wandsworth residents during the last three months - similar levels of need to 2020, but double the need compared to before the pandemic.

“Four in ten of these emergency food supplies were for children.

“Using a food bank is a last resort for people, so on average the local households we've helped have only needed our support twice in a year.

Image credit to Wandsworth Foodbank

“However, people who are refugees or asylum seekers and are facing long waits for Home Office decisions, or disabled people waiting months to appeal the stoppage of disability benefits, may need several emergency foods supplies from us during that time.”

Wandsworth foodbank currently have a team of around 300 volunteers, which Sarah says are all “driven by a shared sense of compassion and justice” to support local neighbours in hardship.

Sarah said herself and the foodbank tend to see an “increase in people being referred” to the food bank during the winter, as household finances are “stretched to breaking point” by the cost of heating as well as food.

She added: “Last week and this week feel busier than ever.

“Earlier this week we provided emergency food for 24 local households referred to us by Jobcentre Plus, Wandsworth Council teams, Citizens Advice Wandsworth, mental health teams, primary schools, a GP and a domestic violence support charity.”

Earlier in December, Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, paid tribute to the work of Wandsworth Foodbank.

Image credit Stephen Lawrence/Trussell Trust

The royal couple met volunteers, support staff and church leaders from the south London food bank.

As a result of COVID-19, Wandsworth Foodbank pre-prepare food parcels and have them ready at the door, so guests do not have to enter the building.

She explained: “With the rapidly unfolding Omicron situation, we now phone people and families who are due to collect food, so that we can pre-prepare their food parcels before each welcome session.

“When guests arrive at our centres, we'll have their named food parcel ready for them at the door, so they don't have to come inside the building.”

Sarah said Wandsworth foodbank has seen a “huge increase” in people who were supposed to collect food this week, but can't as they have tested positive for Covid or have been told to isolate by Test and Trace while they get a PCR

She added: “It’s very difficult and stressful for people whose income doesn't cover essentials, because they can't afford to book an online shop like many of us would in a similar situation.

“It is a stretch for our volunteers, but they're brilliant, and remain totally committed to supporting every person and family referred to us in severe hardship this week.”

Sarah told the Wandsworth Times that the reduction of Universal Credit has “hit local households hard”.

She said: “The £20/week reduction to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit has hit local households hard.

“For instance, before 6 October this year, a single person under 25 could receive £344.00 month UC standard allowance, but after 6 October this reduced to £257.33 a month.

“£20 a week might be a nice bottle of wine for some, but for others, that's gas and electricity for the week.”

Sarah said she would like to see food poverty improve in Wandsworth by local people “receiving financial help” through the Household Support Fund and adds that the local and national government “have a lot of work to do.”

She explained: “Food poverty is just poverty.

“Ten years ago, there were very few food banks in the UK.

“With child poverty increasing in Wandsworth borough - and 75% of local children in poverty in working households - both national and local governments have more work to do to protect children and families from poverty.

“Locally, we'd love to see Wandsworth Council get the £2million Household Support Fund it received this autumn into the pockets of local people in severe hardship now.

“As of today, it's not clear how much of this latest funding has reached local residents most in need.

“We believe and hope that - used well, ambitiously and rapidly - this Household Support Funding should result in less people needing to be referred to our food bank in the next three months, because more people have the money they need for essentials.”

Wandsworth foodbank regularly update their website with the items most needed across the seven foodbank centres they own.

They are currently holding a Christmas gift card appeal which is open until the end of December.

Sarah explained: “We're aiming to give a supermarket gift card to each person referred to us which they can use to choose and buy fresh food, small gifts and anything else they need for Christmas.

“With the help of our community, we'll give £20 gift cards to single or couple households, and £50 to families with three or more people - alongside their emergency food parcel.”

You can donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Christmasgiftcards