50 per cent year-on-year increase in June as families struggle with cost of living crisis.
The second-busiest May in our 11½-year history has immediately been followed by our second-busiest June.
June’s total of 3,600 meals for 400 adults and children was 50 per cent more than the June 2023 figure of 2,421 meals, and took our overall total for the first half of 2024 past 20,000.
One client – a mother of two sons aged 17 and 11 – messaged her gratitude after receiving her family’s delivery on 26th June:
“I would truly like to thank the Food Hub for your support during these hard times. I can not express how greatly I appreciate your help with the delivery of my shopping and how much of a relief my children and I will not go hungry this month.
“I was moved to tears when I unpacked our shopping, excitingly seeing all the food and other essentials we received. I can’t wait for my children to come home from school and see all that we have. The treats will make them really happy. Thank you to Sally and Pete for their kindness and once again to Purley Food Hub.”
A number of clients are now collecting their food parcels directly from the Food Hub most Wednesdays and Saturdays – usually those living on main roads where parking is difficult for our delivery drivers.
The Management Committee are looking at whether this can be extended.
They also continue to monitor the effects on client numbers of Purley Jobcentre no longer directly referring claimants to us for emergency food. Instead, the Jobcentre signposts them to other agencies such as Purley Cross Centre, where Leo Cardow and the team are now referring up to one third of our clients.
Agencies continue to express their clients’ warm thanks for the food and support they receive: “[N] has been delighted with your service. Thank you so much for your care and support” … “Thank you very much for all the support you have given this family” … “Brilliant!” … “Thank you so much for all your kind help to [K]. I will be in contact with her so can include the information [about Purley Food Stop] as part of our long term planning.”
Meanwhile, the Trustees have agreed to the Food Hub signing a letter from the country’s independent food banks to Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the general election. The letter has been co-ordinated by IFAN, the Independent Food Aid Network. Director Sabine Goodwin says it highlights the fact that a charitable food aid response to poverty must be replaced by systemic changes to increase people’s incomes.