When Fat Beehive moved into new offices in December 2019, I definitely had a bit of deja vu, I had spent ten years working for a charity in the area and even bumped into some service users in my first week back in the borough.
The charity I worked for provided a wide range of advice and support services – benefits, housing, counselling and grants; I was also a signatory for food bank vouchers and know from personal experience how valuable these services are for those in need.
Food banks have rarely been out of the headlines in recent months. Although the reasons for their growth are hotly debated, the charities involved agree that there has been a surge in demand.
As winter approaches and the effects of coronavirus continue to trap people in poverty, food banks in the Trussell Trust network are forecast to give out six emergency food parcels every minute.
As well as supporting national and international charities, Fat Beehive try and support our local community, which is why Fat Beehive staff have been fundraising for Pecan, a Trussell Trust partner who run our local food banks.
To boost our efforts Fat Beehive has agreed to match any donations made by the staff team to double the impact.
If you are interested in finding out more about food banks in your area please take a look at the Trussell Trust website.