AGM speakers tell of increasing levels of deprivation on a local, area and national level.
Persistent inflation, widespread poverty and growing deprivation are piling the pressure on already stretched food banks.
That was the recurring message from speakers at the Food Hub’s 2025 AGM at Christ Church, Purley on 2nd October.
The meeting, attended by around 60 Food Hub volunteers, supporters and friends, heard impassioned talks from three women who share a long-standing commitment to combating poverty, backed up by extensive front-line experience of the challenges facing food banks.
Leo Cardow, Manager of Purley Cross Centre, gave the local picture. The centre offers a wide range of social and financial support and works closely with organisations like the Food Hub and Christians Against Poverty, as well as local legal and counselling services.
It is one of 60 ticket partners who refer clients to the Food Hub, and eight per cent of our clients in 2024/2025 were referred by them.
Their work in this area has increased significantly since Purley Jobcentre stopped referring clients directly in early 2024, said Leo.
Charlotte White from IFAN, the Independent Food Aid Network, of which the Food Hub is part, provided the national perspective.
She warned of the risk of volunteer burnout at a time when food banks face up to the increasing operational complexity that comes with ever-growing need.
IFAN has a vital role, said Charlotte, not just as a practical support network for around 700 food aid organisations around the country, but also as an advocate for a whole new approach at government level to alleviating poverty.
A key feature of that advocacy is the ‘Guarantee Our Essentials’ national campaign.
The campaign is run by Trussell, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, IFAN and others. It calls for legislation to reform the social security system and ensure that, as a minimum, Universal Credit payments are increased to cover the essentials like food, utilities and vital household items.
“It’s not just about food bank use,” said Charlotte. “That is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s about food insecurity.
“We know from DWP data that only one in six people who are facing food insecurity will visit a food bank. So for every person that asks for help there’s another five at home that haven’t sought help yet.”
Elizabeth Maytom MBE, from Lambeth & Croydon Foodbank, was there at the beginning when Purley Food Hub was born, having previously opened a food bank at St Luke’s, West Norwood, in 2011.
That became Norwood and Brixton Food Bank which after a series of mergers with food banks in Waterloo, Vauxhall and Clapham Park was relaunched in 2025 from new premises as the Lambeth & Croydon Foodbank.
They fed just under 26,000 people last year, spend £10,000 a month on ambient food and £4,000 on fresh food, and have about 20 paid staff members and 350 volunteers.
Like Charlotte, Elizabeth also highlighted the risk of volunteer attrition and fatigue, and concluded with this message:
“Love your volunteers, but make sure you know your volunteers and keep them as volunteers that you love. And trustees – love your trustees, work with them, but ensure that they’re growing.
“Underpinning all we do is the belief that no-one in our community should have to use a food bank. We believe everyone deserves the dignity of being able to put food on the table, and we will work to create a world where that is reality.”
The AGM also heard end of year reports from the Food Hub’s Chair and Board of Trustees, Management Committee and Treasurer. Printed copies of our 2025 Annual Report were distributed at the meeting.
The full report can be viewed here. Videos of all the main speakers are also available on our Youtube channel here.
