Liam Loftus, our Development Director, discusses the Summer Appeal
What does Cambridge City Foodbank mean to you?
Almost everything anyone does starts with food.
Given my background as a GP, I have seen first-hand just how powerful and important it is to put nutritious food on people’s plates. When someone hasn’t eaten properly, the long-term effects reach far beyond hunger. It impacts physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence, and stability. Food is foundational – it’s the starting point from which the rest of our lives grow.
Knowing that people in our community are unable to access something so basic and essential is what drove me to work towards ending hunger by supporting people through the Foodbank.
I started as a volunteer before moving through a variety of roles across the organisation. After three years here, I now find myself as the Development Director; a role that involves exploring how our Foodbank can continue to evolve and respond to the changing needs of the people we serve. A big part of my role is asking questions such as: how can we support as many people that need us? How can we adapt to an increasingly difficult landscape? And how can we work alongside local organisations and communities to make the greatest impact?
That includes organising campaigns and appeals during busy periods when need is especially high – such as this year’s Summer Appeal.
What is the Summer Appeal?
When people think about hardship during the year, winter is often the first season that comes to mind. But, for many low-income families, the summer holidays can be incredibly difficult too.
For many children, summer is one of the happiest and most memorable times of the year. I myself was personally very fortunate to have holidays filled with happy memories that have stayed with me throughout my life. But sadly, that isn’t the reality for everyone. Whilst many families look forward to the school holidays with excitement, others face them with anxiety and dread. The holidays often bring increased food and energy costs, higher childcare expenses and reduced working hours. For families already struggling to make ends meet, those added pressures can become overwhelming.
During my time at the Foodbank, I’ve heard heartbreaking stories from parents who are skipping meals so their children can eat during the holidays. These struggles often remain invisible to those who haven’t experienced them firsthand, but once you see the reality it’s impossible to ignore.
Through our Summer Appeal, we want to raise awareness across Cambridge during the summer holidays and make sure families know they have somewhere to turn. Most importantly, we want to help ensure no child in Cambridge goes without food this summer and that every family has the chance to create happy memories together, regardless of their circumstances.
How can volunteers support the Summer Appeal?
You, our volunteers, are the lifeblood of our Foodbank. Simply by giving your time, you are already making a phenomenal difference to people in need. If you want to support the Appeal, one of the biggest ways you can do so is by helping us spread awareness. Sharing and interacting with our social media posts, speaking to friends and colleagues, and using the campaign materials we’ll be providing all help us reach more people.
Word of mouth can be incredibly powerful too. Conversations about food prices and the cost of living come up everywhere: in the workplaces, cafes and on the street. Those moments can become opportunities to raise awareness about the challenges families are facing and how the community can help.
When can we expect the launch of the Summer Appeal?
The Summer Appeal will be launching next week. We’ll be sharing updates, stories and information across our social media channels and through local press, so keep an eye out!
I’d encourage everyone to follow the campaign, spread the message and continue the generous volunteering and support you all give to the Foodbank. Thanks to people like you, we can help ensure families across Cambridgeshire have full stomachs and the chance to enjoy the summer months together.
I have such fond memories of summer growing up, and it deeply saddens me that not every child in our city gets to experience that same joy and freedom. I truly believe that when communities come together, we can make a real difference and ensure that every family’s summer is full of happy memories too.
Learn more about our Summer Appeal: https://cambridgecity.foodbank.org.uk/summerappeal