Food Club Survey report

That this House wants to reduce the prevalence of poverty, isolation, health inequalities and community fragmentation across the UK; acknowledges the existence of contributory membership-based food clubs, pantries and hubs run in most cases by volunteers and community groups; notes the recent Food Club Survey Report by eight organisations, which found that such projects lead to greatly increased community cohesion, reduced financial stress, increased self-confidence, improved diet and a reduced risk of people reaching crisis point; further notes the recent Salient Research Trial, which indicated that sustained membership of such projects leads to significant change for people in severe food insecurity, and that bigger gains are made the longer someone attends; commends the work of the thousands of compassionate volunteers who use their own time to bring their communities together in positive ways; recognises that pantries and food clubs are crucial as trusted, accessible spaces where people engage consistently, initially through food but subsequently through strong relationships that build community and improve people’s access to myriad services; suggests that hon. Members of all parties engage with and encourage the food clubs or similar affordable approaches in their own constituencies, and encourages their involvement in councils’ adoption of the Crisis and Resilience Fund; and encourages the Government to heed the finding that food clubs represent one of the most promising place-based approaches to tackling food insecurity and promoting financial resilience, and as such should form a part of a multi-layered strategy to reduce poverty and food bank use across the UK.