The Director’s Blog – UK Food Supplies

In our new thought piece blog from our director Zoe Nixon, she will be looking at topical stories and how they may relate to our work.

For August, Zoe considers how a heatwave could impact a food bank.

AS TEMPERATURES continue to hit record highs in the UK, the impact is presenting in multiple ways.

For us as a food bank, one of our concerns relating to the hot, prolonged weather is the effect it has on food supply.

This week, The National Farmers’ Union raised concerns about how drought across many parts of England and Wales is putting pressure on food production.

The Met Office also said that England had just 8% of its average rainfall for July. It seems likely it will be confirmed as the driest July on record.

One of our county’s food producers Riviera Produce has highlighted that they have had to combine two broccoli heads for the usual sale weight, with cauliflower yield likely to decrease in the next couple of weeks.

Although on the face of it, providing fewer broccoli or cauliflowers to those who visit our food banks may not seem to some a major issue, the precarity of our food system is.

Given the current environmental situation is intensified due to climate change, and other geopolitical and systemic issues, food insecurity will only be made worse if, as a society, we don’t improve, and adapt to, these situations.

Only last week, we highlighted the Food Foundation’s call for a Good Food Bill that sets out a statutory framework through which to improve the UK’s food system.

Over 100 major retailers, charities, and health bodies are supporting the bill, which would put access to healthy and affordable food, the development of a more resilient domestic food supply, and legally binding targets to create a fairer and more sustainable food system front and centre of government decisions.

While we wait, and campaign, for change, our food bank will continue to put meals on the tables of those who need them.

We see first-hand how a lack of food access affects people, physically and emotionally, and so far, this year, we have provided almost 5,000 food parcels to individuals and families, helping them to find their way back to stability.

We have also launched our community pantry, The Stores. It provides an affordable shopping experience to help our food bank visitors, and those in interim accommodation, move-on from emergency support.

Alongside this, people can access wellbeing and budgeting guidance or simply enjoy a cuppa and a natter.

Wherever possible, we supply fresh produce in addition to store cupboard items to support a balanced diet.

To continue to do so, please visit our Give Help web page to find out how you can donate food, time or donate.

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