Tower Hamlets Foodbank
Our Journey
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
About Us
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is a project of
First Love Foundation, a Christian charity
founded in 2010
Our vision is to develop and innovate other
projects concerned with tackling poverty &
deprivation where it exists
We currently operate three foodbank
centres on a weekly basis in Poplar / Bethnal
Green & Spitalfields
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 1
Items of long-life
food is donated
from right across
the local
community
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 2
Food is sorted by
type and date
then ‘banked’ in a
warehouse
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Some of the
reasons why
people are
referred to
Foodbank
Low Income & Debt / Redundancy
Benefit Delay, Cut or Change /
Sanctions
Domestic Violence / Mental Health
Bereavement
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Access to the Foodbank service is by referral
only
Step 3
Our Voucher Holder Network (now over 210
strong) consists of:
We work in
partnership with a
network of Care
Professionals who
are best place to
identify those in need
Social Workers / GP’s / Health Visitors /
Social Landlords / School Parental Liaison
Workers / Advice Centres / Pastoral Care
Workers etc., and Jobcentreplus
Over half are statutory run agencies!
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 4
Voucher Holders
refer clients to our
foodbank centre via
the issuing of a
voucher - where we
give support, advice
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
How Foodbank
Works
Step 5
…and an
emergency
donation of food
(enough for a
minimum of 3 days)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
About Tower
Hamlets
The People
Most densely populated – 237,900 living
in an area of 7.6 sq miles
High levels of deprivation – 72% - 2nd
highest in London, 3rd in UK
About the income …


Canary Wharf – average salary £95k
Tower Hamlets – average salary £11.5k
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
About Tower
Hamlets
The Children
Highest levels of Child Poverty in UK – 42%
Children regularly going to school without
breakfast
Highest % of pupils on free school meals in
UK
Free school meal is sometimes only meal of
day
Poor Health - Vitamin D deficiency & Rickets
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What we have
seen over past
nine months
The Headlines
• Our work has been heavily impacted by the
Welfare Reforms
• Increase in numbers of local people
needing emergency food support as a
result of sanctions & benefit maladministration – average delay period 3
months +
• More single people referrals – busier
sessions
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Stats – just
quickly!!!
• We fed 1780 people in 2012-13, we have fed
1860 in the past 9 months
• 15% increase in clients presenting with
benefit change or delay (32% 2012/13, 47%
2013/14 ytd)
• 52% of clients seen in YTD 2013-14 were
single, as compared to 45% in 2012-13
• 16 % of our clients came from JCPs in YTD
2013-14, as compared to 8% in 2012-13.
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What we have
seen over past
nine months
• Have seen issues of starvation i.e. people
passing out as a result of incorrect ceasing
of benefits
The Headlines
• Problems people present with are more
complex – need longer term support
• As a result of the aforementioned, more
clients presenting with Mental Health
issues – LBTH has also acknowledged this
trend
• …. So advocacy has had to become a key
element of our work
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Historical
Trussell Trust
Model
Listening Ear &
Signposting
(THFb)
Signposting &
Emergency Food
Emergency
Food
(THFb)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What the Service now looks like ..
Triage
Foodbank PLUS
(THFb)
JOINED UP WORKING
…the co-location of
partners into our
foodbank sessions,
with a particular focus
on addressing the
crisis itself as well as
meeting the material
needs of someone
experiencing food
CRISIS …
Emergency Food
Welfare Rights
(THFb)
(CPAG)
Crisis Grants
(LBTH)
Housing & Council
Tax Benefit / DHP
(LBTH)
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Challenges
we face
• To continue to deliver the service at a level
which has proved effective
FINANCIAL
• To secure clean, safe, permanent storage –
and office space (instead of having to
move every 6 mths etc)
• To attain sustainability
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Challenges
we face
SAFEGUARDING
THE SERVICE
• Service is open to abuse – across borough
and neighbouring boroughs
• Can’t totally rely on what client tells you
• Have had to put systems in place to reduce
this - but resource intensive
• Facilitated by having open two-way
relationships with our Voucher Holder
Network through which we secure
background information
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Challenges
we face
MEDIA/PUBLIC
PERCEPTION
• Although there is overwhelming support
for our work, there is also a lot of debate
about the efficacy of foodbanks – so use
every opportunity to educate about what
is possible
• Need to maintain independence so we are
not seen as an extension of the welfare
state – one of the knock on effects is that
support for our work could be impacted
• Watch out for the media & safeguard our
clients (who tend to be mostly vulnerable)
#benefitstreet
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
The Challenges
we face
POLITICS – Local
& National
On a National level - where do I start?
On a Local level - “Welfare reforms are here
for the long term – we are an emergency
service – what’s your plan? We can either work
in silos – or work together ….”
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Thank You
Denise Bentley | Tower Hamlets foodbank Manager
denise@towerhamletsfoodbank.org.uk | www.towerhamletsfoodbank.org.uk
mob: 07939 464946 | tel: 020 3609 0850
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Where the
clients that
have accessed
the Foodbank
reside within
the borough of
Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Where the
clients that
have accessed
the Foodbank
reside within
the borough of
Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What does
INJUSTICE look
like?
SOME EXAMPLES
OF WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN
1. Sanctioned for 3 months for opting to go
to a job interview instead of attending a
JCP appointment – yes, JCP were
correctly informed
2. Sanctioned for 3 months for attending a
family funeral instead of a work
programme – yes, JCP were correctly
informed
3. Person with Brain Tumour incorrectly
deemed fit to work – encouraged to sign
up for JSA ... sanctioned as cannot work
…should be on ESA
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
What does
INJUSTICE look
like amongst the
most vulnerable?
SOME EXAMPLES
OF WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN
1. DV victims – rehoused in TH for their own
safety – unfurnished flat, sleeping on
floor with young children – in Winter!
2. Mental Health sufferers – out of fear of
asking for help – living in unfurnished flat
for years, isolated – no fridge, cooker,
bed, sofa …
3. As a result of no ESA for 4 months –
client returned donated food - no cooker
anyway, only microwave, but cannot
cook food as electricity disconnected due
to o/stdg bill of £90! BTW – was also due
to be evicted the next week …
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Question:
‘So tell me, what
have you done
for food?
“After my friends wouldn’t lend me any more
money, went without food for 5 days in June &
July, on each occasion I collapsed and was
hospitalised due to malnutrition & dehydration”
“I have skipped meals so my children can eat”
“Lived on a loaf of bread & apples each week –
for 18 months”
“I have rifled through bins”
“I have eaten cigarette stubs”
“Survived on bread, butter and water**”
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales
Christmas Hamper “… Client lives with her son who is disabled and
Appeal 2013 has learning difficulties - has virtually no food in her
cupboards and due to debts, all but £3.45 of her
income is taken up with paying off the debts and
Examples of rent arrears.
nominations
Received so far “… lady in her 60s who lives on pension credit and
income from a small cleaning job. Was homeless
last year but a local charity was able to help her
move into a flat where her rent is paid by Housing
Benefit. She gets by on a small income by living
frugally - a Christmas hamper would be a huge
blessing to her”
Tower Hamlets Foodbank is co-ordinated by the charity First Love Foundation
Charity Reg no 1137819, Reg Ltd Company 07193272. Registered in England and Wales