Tag: food insecurity

Supporting people in hardship through Cash-First Fund

Organisations at the frontline of helping people facing poverty and hardship can now apply for a share of government funding to help tackle food insecurity.

The £1.6 million Cash-First Fund is aimed at public sector and third sector partnerships to deliver cash grants for food and other essentials, helping to reduce the need for food parcels.

Up to £200,000 will be made available to partnerships including community food initiatives, local authority teams, and money advice services.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Taking a cash-first approach to tackling food insecurity means people can access the essentials they need while maintaining dignity. When this is delivered collaboratively, with advice and support to strengthen people’s income, it can also help prevent future hardship.

“Local public and third sector services know their communities best and are well-placed to support households in crisis, so I encourage them to work together and apply for the Cash-First Fund.

“Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is a critical mission for this government and our actions are already making a difference to households, including some of our most vulnerable children, across Scotland. The Cash-First Fund is another important milestone on this journey and our learning from this will take us another step closer towards a Scotland without the need for food banks.”

Head of Scotland at the Trussell Trust, Polly Jones said: “Cash-first partnerships will play a key role in taking us closer to a Scotland where no one needs to use a food bank.

“We are delighted the Scottish Government is launching this innovative pilot, supporting public sector bodies and community organisations to work together to ensure people get the support they need in a crisis and to reduce the need for food banks in their communities.”

Coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, Sabine Goodwin said: “This funding provides a critical opportunity to cement local cash first actions aimed at reducing food insecurity.

“Ending the need for food banks undoubtedly requires strategic vision and close collaboration at a local level. We very much welcome the Scottish Government’s support of local partnerships and the prioritisation of a cash first approach to food insecurity.

Cash-First Fund: form and guidance

Public and third sector partnerships are invited to apply to the Cash-First Fund by 5pm on Friday 1 September.

Up to eight successful partnerships will each be provided with up to £200,000 over two years to deliver activities that improve urgent local access to cash in a crisis.

Scotland is the first nation in the UK to publish a plan towards ending the need for food banks, and this ambition is shared by food bank networks.

Anyone who is struggling financially can get advice through their local authority, a local advice service, Social Security Scotland or by visiting the Scottish Government’s cost of living website: https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/

Cook and Share to tackle loneliness in Scotland

Brand new campaign from Soil Association Food for Life

A brand new campaign from the Soil Association aims to tackle food insecurity and loneliness, starting this World Food Day on 16th October.

Anyone can take part in Cook and Share Month and hundreds of events are expected to take place across the UK. From Edinburgh to Inverclyde, people will be cooking and, you guessed it, sharing food in their local communities between 16th October and 16th November 2021.

Preparing and eating food is a great way to bring down barriers, so the organisers are encouraging people from all walks of life to take part.

Community groups, schools, children’s centres, faith groups and more will be getting busy in the kitchen and making food to share with each other, and with their local area, both remotely and in person where it’s safe to do so.

Need funding? Grants of £150 are available to help people get their cooking events off the ground, provided by Food for Life Get Togethers (FFLGT), a Soil Association programme funded by the National Lottery.

More details are below.

So why should we share our food?

Research has revealed that the more often people eat with others the more likely they are to feel happy and satisfied with their lives. Yet this year we have seen loneliness rise, exacerbating social problems that were already there.

The Office of National Statistics has published a report saying that loneliness in adults has increased during the pandemic by almost a third. From October 2020 to February 2021, results from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) showed that 7.2% of the adult population (about 3.7 million adults) felt lonely ‘often’ or ‘always’. This is an increase of 1.1 million people since the first UK lockdown in 2020.

Many people have become more isolated as a result of social distancing measures, which can have negative effects on mental and physical wellbeing. Holding a Food for Life ‘Get Together’ is a tried and tested way for people to connect with others in their local communities, through good food, safely.

In a recent survey of Get Together organisers, nearly 90% either agreed or strongly agreed that their activities created new friendships or developed friendships. More than 90% of Get Together organisers also agreed or strongly agreed that these activities supported people’s health and wellbeing.

Helen Browning, CEO of the Soil Association says: “The month is about using the power of great food to bring us together. At the Soil Association, we know that food has got to be good for us, and good for nature and the climate too.

“It has never been more important to create meaningful connections. We have seen over the past year that feeling connected to others is absolutely essential to good health and wellbeing. Food is one of our best ways to unite across barriers – whether that’s the garden fence, cultural or generational divides.”

Dale Cranshaw, Head of Food for Life Get Togethers adds: “Half of the UK population feel that Britain is more divided than ever before. To build stronger communities that can stand up to some of the urgent health, climate and nature crises of our time we need to get together.

“Cooking and sharing food is one of the best tools you have to bring people from different backgrounds or generations together. If you want to bring your community together you can do something about it this month by cooking, and sharing food that’s good for people and planet with your community.”

How can people take part?

Anyone can sign up for free on the website.

There are a range of resources available, helping organisers to cook easy, healthy recipes from scratch. Choose your favourite, from an Eritrean Daal to a simple, home-made bread roll. 

Find the perfect recipe.

The charity are also providing grants of £150 to help people get their cooking events off the ground. 

Find out more here. 

An important part of Cook and Share month is helping people to cook from scratch, which has health benefits and often has a lower carbon footprint than alternative ultra-processed foods.

For more information, read the Soil Association Report on Ultra-processed Foods.

After a year of isolation and worry, it is more important than ever that we connect with the people around us. Whether you’re dishing up daal, sharing a sarnie or passing round the pasta, food is a great way to break down barriers and bring people together.

Weathering the Storm: Poverty Alliance publishes Get Heard Scotland summary report

The Poverty Alliance have launched Weathering the Storm, a summary report from the Get Heard Scotland (GHS) programme in 2020/21.

GHS is a programme coordinated by the Poverty Alliance and funded by the Scottish Government as part of Every Child Every Chance, the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan.

GHS is designed to help people on low incomes get their voices heard on the policies and decisions that most impact their lives and their communities.

Get Heard Scotland gathers evidence on the experience of poverty, from people who are living on low incomes, as well as from organisations and groups working on the ground to help address poverty. Crucially, it focuses on the solutions needed to loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives.

The report that has been published today covers GHS engagement in 2020/21, which focused primarily on the local authority areas of Inverclyde and Renfrewshire. Covering issues like mental health, employment, food insecurity, digital access, debt, and social security, it provides an overview of the experiences of people living on low incomes – as well as of organisations working with people on low incomes – during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Peter Kelly, Director, Poverty Alliance, said: “Over the last 18 months, the grip of poverty has tightened on the lives of people across Scotland. But it is important to remember that, even before the pandemic, over one million people in Scotland were living in that grip.

“We know that not just listening to – but acting on – the voices and experiences of people living in poverty is key to ending poverty in Scotland. So we are pleased to publish this report today, that focuses primarily on Inverclyde and Renfrewshire but which has relevance for every part of the country.

“In both local authorities, there has been a genuine desire to find more effective ways of meaningfully involving people with experience of poverty in shaping local anti-poverty policy. We hope that the work as part of Get Heard Scotland will have contributed towards making participatory policy making the norm in the future.”

The full report can be read here.

Communites Funding Package: Supporting local neighbourhoods through the pandemic

A combined total of £1 billion has been allocated to help local communities through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and to build resilience in public services in the past year.

Of this, more than £550 million has been committed through the Communities Funding Package – launched a year ago this week. This has been distributed across councils, local services and initiatives supporting those in need.

Key elements include:

  • more than £140 million on tackling food insecurity, with over £51 million to enable the continued provision of Free School Meals during school closures and holiday periods
  • help for local councils to meet people’s needs over the winter period, with £40 million of financial insecurity funding and £30 million to help people impacted by COVID restrictions and guidance. In conjunction with the Freephone national assistance helpline, councils have provided support to access and afford essentials, including food and fuel
  • almost £80 million awarded to third sector and community organisations through the Wellbeing Fund, Supporting Communities Fund and the Third Sector Resilience Fund
  • the continuing Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme, which is expected to make £44 million of awards by this summer

On top of the £550 million communities funding package, a further £479 million has been awarded to local councils to meet demand for local services, and build resilience across the sector.

Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government Aileen Campbell said: “We know that the impacts of the pandemic have been felt unevenly across Scotland, with many of the most disadvantaged or marginalised bearing the heaviest weight.

“This significant investment has helped protect people and communities during these unprecedented times.

“We have worked hand in hand with councils, third sector partners and communities themselves to direct funding where it was needed most and to ensure that support is there when people need it most.

“I want to thank everyone involved, right across Scotland, in this unprecedented response – demonstrating what a caring country Scotland is and protecting people.”

Michelle Carruthers, Chief Executive of Food Train, which received funding as part of the strategic national investment in order to continue delivering food parcels to older people, said: “There is no doubt in my mind: the support funding we have received from the Scottish Government during the pandemic has driven our ability to respond to the 70% rise in need for our grocery shopping service. 

“The pandemic shone a harsh spotlight on food insecurity issues facing older people which Food Train has responded to through increasing our regional coverage of grocery deliveries, increased meals shared via our Meal Makers project and a new service, Food Train Connects, matching volunteers and older people in areas where we don’t have a branch.”

The Communities Funding mapping tool highlights investment across Scotland, including by local authority. 

Scotland responds to UN’s poverty call

The Scottish Government has welcomed a call from the United Nations for urgent action to tackle deepening food insecurity, poverty and injustice in the UK.

A report published today sets out the actions being taken in Scotland to protect human rights and ensure access to food for people on low incomes.

It comes in response to concerns raised last year with the UK Government by two leading international experts who act as Special Rapporteurs to the UN Human Rights Council.

Professor Michael Fakhri and Professor Olivier De Schutter wrote to UK Ministers last August about an alarming increase in food insecurity and poverty in the UK. They requested a response within 60 days.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The UN’s analysis has pointed to the systematic failings of the UK welfare system that have left people in hardship and crisis.

“Far too many people have experienced austerity, hunger and destitution as a direct consequence of UK Government policies and I am disappointed it has not yet issued a formal response to highlight how this will be tackled.

“Our detailed report highlights bold measures to put more money in people’s pockets, including our game-changing new Scottish Child Payment and our commitment to the Fair Work Action Plan and promoting the real Living Wage.

“The Scottish Government has now committed more than half a billion in social protection since the onset of the pandemic, including £130 million targeted at tackling food insecurity.

“However as long as key levers to move the dial on poverty and inequality remain at Westminster, the Scottish Government will continue to call on the UK Government to make the changes required to protect us all so we end the need for food banks and ensure everyone can afford to buy the food they need.”

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “Even before the pandemic began, significant numbers of people in Scotland were experiencing food insecurity. Over the last year we have seen many more swept into poverty.

“The Scottish Government’s report highlights that a ‘cash first’ response is the right approach, whether to replace Free School Meal provision or to make more crisis grants available to those who need them.

“Boosting incomes is critical to reducing food insecurity over the long term. Investing in the UK social security system will prevent more people being set adrift. Retaining the £20 uplift to Universal Credit next month will help loosen the grip of poverty and will act as a financial lifeline for thousands.”

The Scottish Government report can be read in full here.

Hungry for Change: PCHP to launch new report

Pilton Community Health Project is to launch a new report, Hungry for Change, tomorrow at the Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church on Pennywell Gardens.  The report explores how community groups in north Edinburgh have responded to food insecurity in the area. Continue reading Hungry for Change: PCHP to launch new report