A West London lady’s modern grassroots food assist scheme has grown from two volunteers originally of the pandemic, to practically 200 one yr on.
Margaret Blankson, a 59-year-old administration guide from Shepherd’s Bush, based Foodbank Doorsteppers originally of lockdown, in response to the pressing want for food assist in her neighborhood.
Born and raised in Keith Grove, Margaret labored in a quantity of native authority roles in West London – together with schooling, neighborhood engagement and equality – earlier than establishing the food assist scheme.
This week will mark the one-year anniversary of the venture, which Margaret set up in March 2020 utilizing the hyperlocal social networking web site Nextdoor – simply two weeks earlier than dropping her mum to Covid-19.
Margaret Blankson stated her mum, who died of Covid-19 final March, would have been proud of what they’ve achieved
(Image: Anna Highfield/MyLondon)
“I began it a pair of weeks earlier than she died,” stated Margaret, describing how her mum would have been “so proud” of what they’ve achieved,” she stated.
“She at all times stated you’ve got to do one thing, you possibly can’t simply sit there. ”
Margaret stated throughout the first lockdown the demand for Government food assist was so excessive the federal government web site crashed.
For extra information and options about London straight to your inbox signal up to our e-newsletter right here .
She stated: “I assumed, there’s no manner the Government can organise this in any smart style.”
Margaret rang the native authority to see what assist she might provide, however that “went nowhere” – so she determined to take issues into her personal fingers.
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
She went onto Nextdoor to begin networking, and over the next six weeks Foodbank Doorsteppers was established.
The scheme, which now has 187 volunteers, makes use of an modern technique to present fast and efficient food assist for residents in Hammersmith and Fulham.
Three instances every week, volunteers begin by leafletting homes to request baggage of food donations, then drive spherical gathering the luggage a short time later – earlier than taking them to an area food financial institution for redistribution.
Foodbank Doorsteppers volunteers have been joined by Dominic Ball from Queens Park Rangers (again left), Labour MP for Hammersmith and Fulham Andy Slaughter (third in from the left), and Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham PJ Murphy (third in from the best) for their one-year-anniversary assortment
(Image: Diana Vollmerhausen/Foodbank Doorsteppers)
Margaret stated it’s “like an Easter egg hunt” trying for individuals who will donate a bag.
“It works as a result of individuals come collectively and provides up their time and their power and their concepts,” she stated.
The scheme has made such an impression {that a} quantity of native figures joined them for their one-year-anniversary assortment final Friday (March 19), together with Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham PJ Murphy, Labour MP Andy Slaughter, and native footballer Dominic Ball.
Queens Park Rangers midfielder Dominic Ball helped out with Foodbank Doorstepper’s one-year anniversary assortment final Friday (March 19)
(Image: Anna Highfield/MyLondon)
The 25-year-old Queens Park Rangers midfielder stated: “I noticed QPR within the Community Trust tweeting about how the food financial institution went from supplying 100 families every week, to 100 families a day.”
Dominic stated the determine was “stunning” and he determined he needed to assist “in any manner I might.”
He added that as a well known soccer membership it’s “the least we will do.”
Andy Slaughter stated providers like Foodbank Doorsteppers will be wanted for years
(Image: Diana Vollmerhausen/Foodbank Doorsteppers)
Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith and Fulham, described how statutory providers within the borough had “finished a very good job” however that volunteers have been an absolute necessity “in a disaster like this”.
Mr Slaughter stated prior to the pandemic Hammersmith and Fulham already had the most important food financial institution within the nation, and now there are “a whole lot of hundreds” of individuals who want assist in the borough, a actuality he described as “tragic”.
“What has been actually good right here is you’ve individuals like Margaret and her workforce who give the infrastructure,” he stated, calling it a “actually good factor” that individuals have been keen to give up their very own time to present the service.
However, Mr Slaughter added that each he and the volunteers agree the service shouldn’t have to exist.
“We want it didn’t have to be finished,” he stated, including that he thinks the service will sadly be vital for “a very long time”.
Mr Slaughter stated: “We thought up till 10 years in the past we lived in a rustic that would present for individuals in want, then we discovered that we couldn’t anymore – and that’s been a giant wake-up name.
“We have uncovered so much of want locally that was behind closed doorways, so much of individuals we didn’t find out about.
“Quite a bit of the talents and the networks developed right here will be vital till we now have a correct welfare state.”
Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham PJ Murphy blamed Government austerity for the growing want for food assist
(Image: Diana Vollmerhausen/Foodbank Doorsteppers)
PJ Murphy, Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, stated it was “heartbreaking” that so many individuals want the service – together with an growing quantity of individuals who are employed but nonetheless didn’t find the money for to feed their families.
“Austerity has actually thrashed individuals into the bottom,” stated Mr Murphy, including: “How can it’s that one of the wealthiest boroughs, in a single of the wealthiest areas on the planet, doesn’t have sufficient food?”
“It’s appalling,” he stated, and described the growing want for food assist as “an absolute abdication of accountability of our authorities”.
Mr Murphy added: “I believe the very first thing is that you’ve to ensure individuals are paid a correct wage for doing a correct job, and folks aren’t being subsidised by the state.
Do you’ve a narrative you assume we must be protecting? If so, get in contact by emailing [email protected], or tell us within the feedback right here.
“Then that individuals who are receiving advantages are getting a correct quantity to reside a correct life.”
He stated the additional £20 per week of Universal Credit allowance introduced by Rishi Sunak in his finances earlier this month “has been good” however stated it was “not sufficient”.
Mr Murphy stated the issue of inexpensive housing wanted to be addressed first so as to deal with the issue of food poverty.
“People can’t afford to purchase, they will’t afford to hire, and so they can’t afford to eat,” he stated, including: “What kind of nation is that?”
My London approached the Treasury, who didn’t provide a remark.
For extra information in and round London, visit the MyLondon homepage .
