Campaign

Tackling the causes of poverty

People come to the Foodbank with lots of different reasons for needing our help, but all of our visitors have one thing in common; not enough money to meet their essential needs. In order to end the need for food banks, we must do more than provide people with food and advice. We must tackle the root causes of poverty, so that fewer people need our help in the first place, by building powerful communities and influencing decision-makers to deliver long-term change.

What is community organising?

The power to end the need for food banks is in the community, which is why we use organising principles in our campaigns. Organising is bringing people together to get the power they need to secure the changes they want.

Our organising starts with conversations with people who have needed the Foodbank, and through a series of structured opportunities and activities equips and empowers people to become local campaign leaders, and get involved in our national campaigning for an Essentials Guarantee. 

Guarantee Our Essentials

No one should be forced to turn to a food bank because they have been left without enough money to afford life's essentials, like food, heating and toiletries. Right now, the social security system is failing to prevent people from needing to rely on a food bank to survive, because the basic rate of Universal Credit does not cover essentials.

That's why, together with Trussell and other Foodbanks in the network, we are calling on the government to Guarantee Our Essentials and bring in a legally-protected minimum that the basic rate of social security payments cannot fall below.