Greenwich foodbank gives out 4.5 tonnes of meals a week

Jamie Ginns, CEO of Greenwich Foodbank, said that the cost of living crisis has put further strains on the Trussell Trust charity and it has already given out more meals than last year – 98,000 compared to 91,602 for the whole of 2021.  

The charity head said the increased demand for food banks has taken its toll on residents emotionally. 

He said: “We had a nurse come here and just burst into tears, not being able to believe that she was using a food bank. We see this sort of thing a lot.”

Inside of Greenwich Foodbank, with donated goods to be distributed to clients. Credit: Joe Coughlan (Image: Joe Coughlan)

Mr Ginns describes the feeling as “food bank shock”, and volunteers at the food bank are told to see clients to the door after being given their food.

Mr Ginns said: “On that walk from receiving the food to the door, it can hit people that they’re using a food bank really hard. Knees can buckle and tears can flow. It’s really, really tough in that moment.”

Working alongside other charities in the borough, Mr Ginns recalls when a representative showed him a picture of one of their mutual clients who was using a camping stove to cook where their washing machine should be.

He said: “The walls were covered in damp, the heating had never been put on.

"This was before the fuel crisis stuff, heating their place just wasn’t an option for them at all. And so that sticks in my memory.

"I don’t think I’ll ever forget that photo. It looked like a third-world country in this flat.”

Mr Ginns calls the food bank a “last resort” for those who are struggling to feed themselves and their family.

He said: “We’re like a safety net, underneath a safety net that’s underneath a welfare state that’s not working. By the time someone hits us, you know it’s real.”

Greenwich Foodbank is set to need an extra £45,000 alongside usual donations to get through the winter, according to the charity’s head.

Having surpassed their total number of meals given last year already, Mr Ginns said the charity is currently distributing 4.5 tonnes of food every week, with only 3.5 tonnes worth of donations coming in.

He added: “The way that we’re expressing this is that actually, with this cost of living crisis, there is also a cost of giving crisis. People just can’t afford to give.”

Since the pandemic, he has noticed an increase in families using the food bank, which he says is an indicator of the current universal credit system.

He said: “The best idea that the Government has ignored is to tie the rate of inflation to Universal Credit.

"The bottom line is people were stretched anyway. The more expensive it costs to buy stuff, the more money you need to buy it.

"And it makes no sense whatsoever to consistently keep people’s income the same whilst inflation rises.” 

Mr Ginns said he has been considering opening another distribution centre in Greenwich Park, to meet demand.

Speaking about the prime minister owning a house nearby, Mr Ginns says it is representative of the wealthy and working-class divide within boroughs across London.

He said: “We all have personal opinions on this. But in terms of our role as a food bank, what we need to see is policy change that makes a difference for the people that are using our food. And we are seeing none.”

Those who wish to support Greenwich Foodbank can do so by donating on Banquet or their website, or by using the Bank the Food app to see what the food bank currently needs.

The charity has also set up an initiative with a local resident called the Greenwich Foodbank Winter Fund to help fund their additional fees this winter outside of donations.

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