Escalation Of Food Banks

[vakayu]

This is a dreadful situation,they have said this is the one "business" rising in UK,with twice as many outlets as Debenhams.Such a terrible admission and the chancellor and government are saying the welfare changes will help people to be better off,and many are working families not unemployed .

[albaqwerty]

yep, your last posting on this made a huge amount of sense, however, haven't the Civil Service been down-sized, so to speak, more claimants and less to process the claims?

[vakayu]

I have read the comments and expected a few negative ones but on the whole I am glad to say most have sympathy for the situation people find themselves in.This to me is heartening as it proves we are still a caring society,yes there are rules to who deserves this help,quite rightly IMO,as it prevents abuse,I am just glad people like the Trussel Trust exist,even though ideally there would be no need.

[ToraToraTora]

"Tora tora tora I would dearly like you to spend 24 hours in my body ....stoopid man. " - so are you are disabled? You had no help from the state? I don't believe it or there are extenuating circimstances. No one starves in this country, our benefits are probably the best in the world.

"walk a mile in another mansd shoes" - what about work to get the shoes you want, sorry the world owes you nothing, you come in with nothing an go out with nothing the interim is up to you.

[ummmm]

Harsh, very very harsh.

[sherrardk]

Torah, have you tried to access the benefits system? It is not as easy or as quick as you might think. I thi you have been very harsh to Flump as you don't know anything about their personal circumstances.

[factor-fiction]

Are there any checks made on who benefits from these food banks? I suspect quite a few deserving people are too proud to go but there will also be quite a few who don't need the service but will try to take advantage when they become aware that something free is on offer. If free goods are on offer I think the demand will continue to grow as more become aware of it. It would be a shame if any of it finds its way onto shelves of small shops/market stalls.

[Mamyalynne]

14.54

ubasses

Yes, entitlement to the food is checked, people have to be referred from the likes of GP, Health Visitor, social services before they can receive anything.

[Mamyalynne]

Tora how lucky you are never to have been so down on your luck you have needed to access help - also how rude and unkind to someone you have no way of knowing their circumstances.

[factor-fiction]

Thanks mamya. Well whilst some of the increase in the popularity may reflect welfare changes and economic decline I think a growing awareness of there existence is also an important factor, and as more doctors, bodies and the public become aware of them the demand will continue to grow.

[Mamyalynne]

I agree, any system that helps the poorest will also be accessed by those on the borderline, who could manage but take the opportunity. But as stated earlier better that than no help at all for the worst off.

[New Judge]

“…but I suspect few people would use a food bank if they had the choice not to”

Well you need to have a look at a couple of examples near to me. There is one couple about whom I know quite a lot. They are both now in their seventies and neither has ever worked in all the time I have known them (which is almost 40 years). They have a large TV and top of the range Cable TV subscription, they have at least one delivery a week of online shopping (usually ASDA), they have two holidays a year, one summer and one winter, their garden is full of nice furniture and they run a four year old car. And yet, twice a week the Missus toddles off to the Food Bank and returns with her wheelie thingy laden with goodies (and I know this to be true because I’ve seen her in there loading up her cart). So whoever is checking their “entitlement to the food “ is either inept, or taking a back hander or the criterion for help is a bit slack.

[mikey4444]

At this point it might help everybody if I attach a file from the Trussell Trust. They administer the Food Bank that I donate to :::

http://www.trusselltrust.org/resources/documents/Press/General_Foodbank_Appeal2012_NORDO.pdf

When I have been there on a Thursday with my carrier bag of tins and packets, I have noticed that the Vouchers that people bring are a dark red colour. This is to prevent them being photocopied. Only three Vouchers can be present each year by anybody. The chap who I have got to know has told me that they have to turn people away each week, because they have already seen them before.

This chap is from a local Baptist church, who are running the show. So it would seem to me that precautions are being taken to ensure that little fraud is happening.

Its sad that this post has degenerated into such a slanging match. Perhaps if more people were to visit their local Trussell Trust Food Bank, they could see for themselves how hard the people work to give their fellow citizens a helping hand.

Take a few tins with you when you visit...your efforts will be much appreciated.

[emmie]

agree about the slanging match, and also agree there will be some who treat it as their personal food shop, but i doubt they are in the majority, walk around this city and you will see human beings who look like rejects from Dickensian times, sad that some have come to that state, sad that some seem to care not a jot how they got there, that could be you or i soon.. you just never know

[MyBlackHen]

That is so very mean minded of you Tora, do you know all Flump's circumstances?
Or do you just make these utterances with thumb in bum, and brain in neutral?

[MyBlackHen]

Happy to look into it in my area, and help.

[cupotee]

There but for the grace of god so many I'm afraid. Not everyone is entitled to benefits I'm afraid.

My son has been off work sick for some months going through several lots of surgery. His wife was made redundant the end of last month just as son got signed off the sick.
He had no work to go to as he had been self employed and can't return to the trade he has worked at since leaving school in 1976. He qualifies for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in benefits.

By the grace of god again his wife has found employment this very day so they will cope, just.

Believe me they have no fancy goods, neither have ever smoked or drunk more than the odd beer at christmas etc.

As for handouts...I have bought their shopping every for 7 months.

He is desperate to work again and will do anything.

Its a dusgusting state of affairs as far as I can see.

[vakayu]

Mikey can I ask you about the three vouchers per year,that does not seem very many,or have I misunderstood your reply,does that mean only three separate visits,surely not,and can I also say I do not regret giving flump best answer,It's heart-warming and refreshing to hear someone who was in need at the time to get help.

[vakayu]

Cupotee,so sorry to hear your troubles,that's exactly the kind of circumstances which can happen to anyone,I hope you and yours have some good news soon,it is so fortunate you are able to help out.

[mikey4444]

Cupotee....the three vouchers limit comes from the Trussell Trust themselves. It has to be enforced quite strictly because their resources are limited and the demand is growing at a fast rate, so they have to be fair to everybody. Anecdotal evidence, off the record from some of the chapel people seems to suggest that donating is tailing off a bit.

There seems to be a belief that all you have to do to get free food is to simply turn up at a Food Bank, whine a bit and you will go home with something akin to a Fortnum's Hamper.

The truth is that they are given a three day supply of essential items. As the local Food Bank that I support is based in a church hall, they have no method of receiving fresh items, such as bread, milk, fruit and vegetables, and obviously, no frozen food. So there is not much in the way of luxury to be had. In the week before Xmas I gave them some small boxes of children's sweets, which the chap in charge said would be gratefully received.

Em10 is right. What on earth is Britain coming to when our city street are starting to resemble a Dickens novel ?