Purley Food Hub representatives were among more than 700 people from food banks and community groups across the UK who took part in a mass lobby of MPs in Westminster on 18th June to tackle the scourge of food poverty.

Chair of Trustees Trevor Jones and Admin Support volunteer Steve Hunt attended as part of the ongoing ‘Guarantee Our Essentials’ campaign organised by the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) with the Trussell Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation and others.

The joint campaign calls for legislation to reform the social security system and ensure that, as a minimum, Universal Credit payments are sufficient to pay for essentials like food, utilities and vital household items.

Trevor said afterwards: “Regrettably we weren’t able to see our Croydon South MP, Chris Philp. He was deputising at lunchtime for Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons and then in the afternoon, as Shadow Home Secretary, he was heavily involved in the debate on the Policing and Crime Bill.

“However, he wrote to us a few days later explaining why ‘due to other engagements’ he had been unable to see us. He told us: ‘I appreciate concerns about the volatility of employment and opportunities that can sometimes unfortunately lead to dramatic changes in circumstance. That is why I will always support strong welfare safety, reliably in place to pick us up during difficult times. I understand your concerns and will endeavour to do what I can in Parliament to champion the needs of vulnerable members of our society and hold the Government to account.’”