The Big Issue – August 05, 2019

(Kiana) #1
TheriseinholidayhungerisastainthatshouldshameBritain.It’sanindictmentofyearsofpoliciesthat
punishthosemostinneed.We at The Big Issuewantto do all we can to help fight it. We have beenprovidinga
platformfor the wonderful,selflessgroupsand individualsofferinga handup. But we wantto hear of more,so tell us at
editorial@bigissue.com. We will be the signpostfor thosein need,a way to celebrategoodpeople.Thenwe will do our
bit to makesure the groupsare not neededin the future,by dealingwith the core causesof holidayhunger.And you can
read moreaboutthe campaignatbigissue.com

TACKLING
HOLIDAY
HUNGER

STREETGAMES UK-WIDE
SimilartoFeedingBritain,StreetGamesheadsupanational
networkoforganisationsthataretacklingholidayhunger–
withakick.
Thecharitybringswhatitcalls‘doorstepsport’toyoung
disadvantagedpeopleacrossEngland,ScotlandandWales:it’sfree,
it’slocalandit’saccessible.Butin2016,feedbackfromthelocal,
trustedorganisationsgrewfroma humtoa roar:holidayhunger,
isolationandinactivitywerereachingcrisislevels.
That’swhenthecharitylauncheditsFitandFedprogramme,
dailysessionsthatcombinefunphysicalactivitieswith
nutritionalmeals.
“Thenumberofgroupswe’reinvolvedinwhoareworkingtotackle
holidayhungerhasnearlytripledsince2016.Lotsweren’tknowntousat
allbeforethen,”FitandFedcampaigndirectorDavidWhitetoldTheBig
Issue.“That’sthedemand.Some
otherprogrammeshavestarted
deliveringfoodtoojustbecause
theproblemissohuge.”
Morethan25,000young
peoplehavebenefitedsofar–
that’s90,000mealsprovidedto
childrenwhosefamiliescontinue
tosufferunderausterity.
streetgames.org

KITCHEN SOCIAL
LONDON
Kitchen Social started feeding hungry
tummies in the summer holidays back
in 2017 but now they have bigger plans
on their plate.
Run by the Mayor’s Fund for London


  • an independent charity that sits in
    City Hall with Sadiq Khan as its patron

  • Kitchen Social funds 150 community
    groups in the capital to provide food
    and activities for low-income kids in the
    schoolholidays.Actingas an umbrella
    groupallowsthemto standardise
    trainingand sharebest practice,with
    each groupfeaturingtheir quality
    assurancemark.
    ProgrammemanagerClaraWiddison
    told The Big Issue:“The community
    groupswe workwith are stemming
    the tide a little bit but the way it is
    beingdeliveredat the momentis
    totallyunsustainable.
    “It’s reallychallengingto expectthe
    communityto step up moreto this than
    they alreadyhave,whichis whatthey are
    goingto needto do.”
    That’swhy KitchenSocialis now
    tryingto “changethe food policy
    landscape”.They will be holding
    England’sfirst Children’sFood Insecurity
    Summitin Januaryto buildon their
    joined-upworkingso far.
    mayorsfundforlondon.org.uk


Acutabove
KitchenSocialoffers
foodandfunforkids

TACKLING
HOLIDAY
HUNGER

Photo:

South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, Duffryn Fire Station, Newport

Photo:

Bettws Civil Service Club, Newport

Photo:

©Mayor’s Fund for London

05-11 AUGUST 2019 BIGISSUE.COM | 11

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