Support our food banks: Wigan Observer launches fund-raising campaign

Our borough's food banks and their users are under pressure like never before.

In recent weeks, they have been dealt the double blow of a surge in demand at the same time as a sharp drop in supplies.

Every day, more and more Wiganers are asking for their help as the Covid-19 pandemic creates unprecedented financial uncertainty.

But donations of food and essential items from businesses and members of the public have slowed down drastically since the lockdown measures were enforced.

And without urgent support, the time will soon come when there may not be enough food, medicine and essential supplies for the food banks to give out to everyone who needs it.

That is why we are asking for your help to support community groups and organisations across the borough.

This week, We launched a fund-raiser to help these organisations bulk buy their own stocks from wholesalers and send it to the homes of the most vulnerable and in-need residents across Wigan.

We initially set a target of £1000, and your incredible generosity saw us smash that target within 24 hours. But we will not, and cannot, stop our campaign there. We do not know when the lockdown will end and allow life to return to normal. These tireless volunteers will still face an uncertain future. By continuing our fund-raiser and getting as many donations as possible, we can give them that little extra confidence that they can keep feeding the most vulnerable among us.

Volunteers across the borough have been working tirelessly to put together care packages, full of food and essentials, for Wigan’s most needy and vulnerable residents who can’t leave the house during the lockdown.

Every penny raised will go to the community groups and organisations that are providing supplies for food parcels.

Emma Stubbs, Wigan Council’s Service Manager for Place and Communities, said that while the logistics of sending out food parcels was largely unaffected, the bigger worry was the lack of donations to food banks and community-based organisations.

“In terms of manning things, it’s fine. The struggle is around some of the normal sources of food that they would get, they have dried up,” said Emma.

“Businesses that would normally be able to donate have stopped because their own supply chains have stopped.

“So we are finding that the main issue is a lack of food to get out to people.”

She added: “An increased number of people are falling into food poverty and crisis because they are not working. Not everyone has been furloughed, and if they were on zero hours contracts they are likely to not have any money coming in. So it’s a double edged sword of an increase in demand and a decrease in supplies.”

Emma went on: “We have seven bases set up across the borough to deliver this welfare response. If you normally donate to a food bank, keep doing it! But if not, if you just want to give a bit of money, then we can buy in bulk rather than getting dribs and drabs from supermarkets.”

Please note that the money raised will be given to Wigan Council to distribute every penny to the groups listed online.

We wish to make it clear that although Wigan Council will be handling the funds, the money is not being raised for them, nor on behalf of them.

To donate, click this link to visit our fund-raising page.

The funds raised will go towards the following groups:

- One House

- Shevington Neighbourhood Watch

- Fur Clemt

- Homeless Support Project

- Pensioners Link

- The Bridge

- Christ Church Pennington

- Higher Folds community centre

- Abram Ward Cooperative

- Helping Hindley

- St Barnabas

- Armed Forces Hub Weekend Provisions

- Total

- Food Bank

- Atherton & Leigh Food Bank

- ACT

- Compassion in Action

- The Brick

- Age UK

- Sunshine House

- The Launch Project

- Daffodils Dreams

- The Salvation Army

- Shevington Recreation Ground Trustees

- The Armed Forces Hub

- Embrace Wigan and Leigh,

- Greenslate Farm

- Tom’s Pantry

A message from the Editorial Director, Gillian Parkinson:

Thank you for reading this story on our website.

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