Stars call on government to end UK hunger as food bank charity provides nearly 3 MILLION parcels

Celebrities support Trussell as it calls on the UK government to take urgent action to end hunger now

ANTI-poverty charity Trussell reports that 2.9 million emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across the UK between April 2024 and March 2025, with more than a million of these provided for children. This is equivalent to one parcel every 11 seconds and a 51% increase compared to five years ago.

Worryingly, the annual figures also show significant numbers of parents struggling to afford the essentials. Since 2019/20 there has been a 46% rise in emergency food parcels provided to families with children, and a 32% rise in parcels to support children under the age of five.

High-profile celebrities from the world of stage and screen, including actors Dame Julie WaltersLesley Manville, and Charlotte Ritchie alongside comedians Rosie JonesNish Kumar and, James Acaster are highlighting these alarming levels of hardship and calling for urgent reform to ensure nobody is experiencing hunger.

They are joined by a host of other celebrities, including Trussell ambassador, AJ Odudu, Hairy Biker, Si King, musicians, James Bay and Tom Grennan,  Reverend Canon Kate Bottley, and Dr Alex George

“Emergency food distribution is being normalised in the UK,” said Dame Julie Walters. “These stats highlight the need for us to come together and play our part in saying this isn’t right and things need to change if we’re to see a future where no one needs a food bank to survive.”

Actor Lesley Manville, who recently won an Olivier Award, said: “I’m shocked at the extremely high levels of emergency food parcels being distributed by food banks, especially the sharp rise in children under five needing support.

“This has to be a wake-up call for the UK government to prioritise hunger and hardship.”

Hairy Biker Si King also added his voice, saying: “It is heartbreaking to see a generation of children growing up thinking that it is normal to see a food bank in every town.

“We all have a moral responsibility to tackle the root causes of poverty to ensure no one has to turn to a food bank to get by.”

And singer-songwriter Tom Grennan said: “One emergency food parcel distributed in the UK is too many but nearly 2.9 million is scandalous.

“Food banks shouldn’t have to exist. In a just and compassionate society, everyone should have enough money to afford the essentials. Trussell won’t stop until this becomes a reality.”

Comedian James Acaster said: “Food banks do an incredible job in helping people facing hunger in the UK. The reality is that their support has seen a rise of more than 50% rise over the last five years with the biggest increase among families with children under four.

” It’s incredibly sad and I stand with Trussell in calling for government action to tackle poverty in our country.”

With MPs soon to vote on the UK government’s proposals to cut essential support for sick and disabled people, Trussell is warning that these changes could force even more people to turn to food banks to get by.

Disabled people are already overrepresented at food banks, with three in four of people referred to a food bank in the Trussell community saying they or a member of their household are disabled, placing them at the highest risk of hunger and hardship.

Comedian Rosie Jones said: “These stats are a stark reminder to the UK government that slashing the income of someone living with a disability who is already struggling to cover life’s essentials is cruel and counterproductive.

“It will only result in more people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.

“We mustn’t forget that a lack of infrastructure support significantly correlates with an increased need for disability benefits. Social security should be there for everyone who needs it, built on compassion and justice.”

The Reverend Canon Kate Bottley said: “It’s desperately sad to know so many parents are left with no choice but to turn to a food bank to get by.

“We must strive for solutions to poverty in the UK if we’re to make food banks a thing of the past.”

Musician James Bay said: “These stats highlight the extraordinary work of food banks to support families facing hardship, but no one should have to turn to a food bank to feed their children.

“We can all use our voice and say this isn’t right and call for the UK government to step up if they’re serious about tackling poverty.”

Comedian Nish Kumar said: “Almost 2.9million emergency food parcels were distributed across the UK last year.

“Food banks were created to provide short-term support, but they’ve become a sticking plaster for a long-term problem: our broken social security system, which isn’t providing enough money to cover the cost of the essentials. The UK government must act or risk seeing more people turn to food banks on their watch.”

Actor Charlotte Ritchie added: “From my work with Trussell, I’ve seen firsthand the hope, dignity and relief food banks provide to people facing hardship.

“But they shouldn’t be needed in the first place. A food parcel distributed every 11 seconds to someone facing hardship in the UK highlights the need for government action to tackle food bank need, starting with a re-think on proposed cuts to disability benefits.”

TV star Dr Alex George said: “We are seeing an unacceptable increase in the number of children needing support from a food bank – a rise of more than 50% in children under five in the last five years.

“Trussell’s work is incredible, but no family should have to turn to a food bank to survive.”

TV host and Trussell Ambassador AJ Odudu added: “I’m proud to be a Trussell Ambassador, championing a future where no one in the UK faces hunger or hardship.

“Right now, someone needs an emergency food parcel every 11 seconds, a stark reminder of the growing challenge and the desperate need for collective action. It’s never been more vital that we all play our part.”

Number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in the Trussell community: 1 April – 31 March 2019/20, 2023/24, and 2024/25:     

Nation and RegionFY 2019/20FY 2023/24FY 2024/25
North East                  98,520               150,599               129,011
North West               254,220               356,164               332,253
Yorkshire and The Humber               108,587               231,754               211,604
East of England               190,144               350,040               332,540
East Midlands               101,789               167,035               140,959
West Midlands               169,141               269,759               243,987
London               204,355               454,998               455,571
South East               199,519               347,440               311,991
South West               163,244               255,404               238,937
England           1,489,519           2,583,193           2,396,853
Scotland               238,583               264,778               239,503
Wales               136,104               187,983               171,673
Northern Ireland                  45,139                  90,525                  77,057
United Kingdom           1,909,345           3,126,479           2,885,086

Emma Revie, chief executive of Trussell, said: “Thousands of families with children, single households, disabled people, working people and older people from across the UK needed to access food banks for emergency food in the past year.

“A whole generation has now grown up in a country where sustained high levels of food bank need feel like the norm.

“This should be a massive wake-up call to government and a stark reminder of their responsibilities to the people of this country.

“This UK government will fail to deliver on its promise to improve living standards for us all unless it rows back on its harmful policy choices on disability benefits and housing support and shows greater ambition on areas like the upcoming child poverty strategy and future of local crisis support. Without action, they risk leaving a legacy of rising food bank need and child poverty.

“It is clear that the public’s cost of living fears are far from over, and these numbers show why. If the UK government truly wants to improve public services, boost the economy and make the UK a better place to live, then addressing hunger and hardship must be a priority.”

Food banks need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK. The public can help make sure food banks can continue to provide warm, compassionate, practical support and advice in the year ahead by donating food or funds to Trussell or your local food bank to help end hunger in the UK.

You can find out how many emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship in your local area on the Trussell website: campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode

LIGHT POLLUTION: vast majority can’t see dark sky, finds CPRE Star Count

  • 75% of people are in areas with the worst three categories of light pollution 
  • Campaigners, including Chris Packham, call for action to ‘rewild the night sky’ to improve the health of people and wildlife 
  • Giving evidence to the House of Lords, CPRE identified key changes to national and local planning policy that, if implemented, could save councils hundreds of thousands of pounds in energy bills while improving the worst light polluted skies 

Light pollution affects the vast majority of the population, with three-quarters of people in the UK finding their view of the night sky obscured, new data has shown. The results of Star Count 2023, released today by CPRE, the countryside charity, find only five percent of people can enjoy the wonder of a truly dark starry sky. 

Almost 4,000 people took part in this year’s Star Count, the country’s biggest annual citizen science project of its kind, from 17-24 February. Participants were asked to report the number of stars they could see with the naked eye in the Orion constellation. The results show that, for just over half the population, their view of the night sky remains obscured by severe light pollution. The proportion experiencing ‘truly dark skies’ and ‘very severe light pollution’ – the best and worst categories – both increased by two percent. 

In evidence presented this month to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, CPRE recommended that local authorities should have legal powers to control light pollution through planning regulations. Outdoor advertisements are already managed in a similar way. Further to that, key changes to national and local planning policy were identified that, if implemented, should lead to a step-change in reducing light pollution, including policies to protect dark skies and intrinsically dark landscapes. 

Tom Fyans, interim CEO of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: ‘The night sky is becoming increasingly obscured by artificial light. Sadly, this means most people in the UK can’t see many stars at all, especially if they live near a big town or city. Yet, it’s a form of pollution that has been allowed to grow for years without any significant effort being made to control the damage it’s causing to people, nature and the environment.  

‘Local authorities could potentially save hundreds of thousands of pounds each year by not wasting energy on unnecessary lighting. It’s an opportunity begging to be taken. All councils are looking for ways to save money and reduce carbon emissions – by cutting light pollution they’d improve people’s sleep and mood at the same time. 

‘As anyone who has landed at an airport at night can attest, housing and roads cause the most light pollution. Local authorities and highways authorities are therefore responsible. They can take action by investing in well-designed lighting, that shines where and when needed. Dimming technology; switching off street lights, if and when they’re unnecessary, in the dead of night; or better designed directional lighting would make a massive difference.’ 

There is increasing awareness of the effect that light pollution has on people’s health and wellbeing. In a previous survey, CPRE found half of respondents said their sleep had been disrupted by light shining in through their bedroom window. More than one in ten people (14%) have slept in a different room to avoid light pollution and 3% have moved house to get away from light pollution. 

Artificial light is known to cause confusion to migrating birds, often with fatal outcomes. It interrupts natural rhythms, including the reproduction, feeding and sleeping patterns of pollinating insects, bats and nocturnal animals. In humans, studies show that exposure to light at night interrupts sleep and can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin, a brain hormone best known for its daily role in resetting the body’s biological clock. 

Emma Marrington, landscape enhancement lead at CPRE, the countryside charity, said: “It’s great that so many people took part in Star Count this year. What is clear is that light pollution continues to affect people’s experience of the night sky. Action is needed now! 

‘A strong approach is needed by local councils to manage light pollution, by ensuring local planning and street lighting policies protect dark skies and intrinsically dark landscapes in their areas. We’re also calling for minimum standards to be introduced nationally for the management of external lighting to cut light pollution. 

‘This would be a hugely important step towards strengthened planning to ensure we get well-designed lighting that is only used when and where it is needed, protecting our existing dark skies for the benefit of current and future generations.’ 

CPRE is calling for stronger local and national planning policy to combat light pollution. The National Planning Policy Framework, where these policies are decided, is currently under review. Now is the time for the government to act.

Look up to the stars …

New constellations based on modern day inspirational figures created in a bid to get more children across the UK looking up to the stars and interested in the universe  

In a campaign to get more young people interested in the universe, The Big Bang Fair has partnered with astronomers at University of Birmingham to create ‘Look Up To The Stars’: a new set of constellations representing icons from sport, entertainment, science and activism that children are inspired by today. Continue reading Look up to the stars …