New FOOD Club schemes launch in Mansfield

Mansfield District Council is working with two leading national charities, Family Action and FareShare, to set up three food clubs in priority neighbourhoods to help the growing number of families who are at risk of facing hunger.

National reports have shown that the number of people facing food insecurity in Britain as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has increased four-fold and hundreds of residents in the district are struggling to put food on the table.

Volunteers collect the donated food, ordinarily destined for landfill, and it is split up into packs and collected by users.

Janice Swinn, a member of the scheme at Tuxford Court, said: ‘It has been a really big help during the school holidays.

"We use everything in the boxes and the kids love to help with the cooking.

"It has given them a bit more to do at home - they have been trying things that they wouldn’t usually eat because they have made the meals themselves.”

Each club aims to have a maximum of 50 members and works on a membership basis, with families paying £3.50 a week to gain access to the food parcels.

The income from the club is used to fund the part-time Family Action FOOD Club Co-ordinator and FareShare’s costs.

Mayor Andy Abrahams said “Our philosophy is all about taking services out to the community where there is a relaxed, friendly environment.

“It breaks down barriers and builds relationship, so we are using the FOOD Clubs to provide a range of other support and advice services around housing, finances, exercise and learning.

“The scheme brings the community together and, whilst it provides valuable assistance, it encourages self help and independence.”

"This situation is only likely to continue as the furlough scheme is withdrawn later this year and more people find themselves without a job, so we want to be prepared for that and support those families already in need in Mansfield.

"These FOOD clubs will be offering a new, sustainable way of helping this ongoing situation.

“We don’t want to see people choosing between heating or eating as the winter approaches.”

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