Foodbank comes to parliament

Unite is calling on MPs from across the political divide to take a stand against UK hunger by supporting the Hope not Hunger pop-up foodbank when it comes to parliament on Wednesday (December 7).

Teaming up with the Trussell Trust and Daily Mirror’s Real Britain, Unite is staging the foodbank outside parliament to raise much needed funds to help the charity feed over 130,000 people this Christmas as it braces for its busiest month of the year.

At the foodbank will be Tracy Brabin, Labour MP for Batley and Spen who used her first week in the Commons to highlight the vital work foodbanks do.

Figures released last Friday (December 2) reveal that during December 2015, The Trussell Trust’s foodbank network provided 133,734 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis; 56,779 of these went to children.

The call comes with the launch of Unite’s Hope not Hunger Christmas appeal which has already raised thousands of pounds in donations for Trussell Trust foodbanks from union members across the country.

“No person should have to choose between heating and eating this Christmas but without the support of local foodbanks up and down the country many thousands will,” said Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.

“It is shocking to think that in the world’s sixth richest nation, Trussell Trust foodbanks will feed over 130,000 people this Christmas. That’s more than double the number of people fed when we last teamed up with the charity in 2013.

“Three years ago we called on the government to face up to the growing crisis it had caused. Three more years of Tory austerity and things are worse. Fuel and food poverty is on the rise with the squeeze on wages and work insecurity forcing increasing numbers of working people to turn to foodbanks to feed their families.

“With foodbanks braced for their busiest month, MPs are urged to do their bit to raise awareness of UK hunger by popping along and donating to our ‘Hope not Hunger’ pop up foodbank,” he added.  “Holiday food is good, but foodbanks need the basics that we take for granted like toilet rolls, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, winter coats, gloves, scarves and Christmas presents for the kids.

“Unite members have shown time and again that they are very generous when it comes to remembering people in crisis. Now we need MPs from all political parties to speak out and put an end to UK hunger once and for all.”

Stay tuned on UNITElive for our coverage of tomorrow’s event at parliament.