Feeding Liverpool, the city of Liverpool’s food alliance, has launched a new campaign to encourage the region to help put good food on people’s tables this Christmas.
Feeding Liverpool is asking the public to donate, and the region’s 70 member charities are providing emergency and community food assistance in the run-up to Christmas. It asks those who are out celebrating Christmas with coworkers and friends in bars or restaurants to donate whatever they can through their Just Giving page here.
Your contribution will enable Feeding Liverpool to continue putting good food on tables at a time when government figures show that 132,000 people in the Liverpool City Region, or 9% of the population, are relying on emergency food charities to feed themselves or their families.
Food insecurity affects more than just the poorest households. With rising taxes, rents, mortgages, food prices, and energy costs, many previously “comfortably off” households are finding themselves in need of the assistance of food banks and other community projects.
It is expected that up to 3,000 National Health Workers will be among those seeking assistance to feed their families.
The mission of Feeding Liverpool has already gained the support of local businesses that share its goal of combating food poverty. Matalan, a leading fashion and homeware omni-channel value retailer based in the North West, is encouraging its employees to dig deep and donate whatever they can to help the charity and their community. Matalan will match all employee donations and will donate all proceeds from its annual Christmas raffle to the cause.
Hawksmoor Liverpool will once again support Feeding Liverpool with a mince pie fundraiser, donating 50p to the charity for every mince pie sold in the restaurant, continuing their successful partnership into 2023.
Feeding Liverpool, Director, Dr Naomi Maynard said:
“Food charities in the region are at crisis point, they are experiencing unparalleled levels of need – with over 2100 emergency food parcels in Liverpool being distributed every week to people in need – all this at a time when food supply is dwindling. The most effective way to provide the ongoing support needed is through a financial donation. We urge the people of Liverpool out in local bars and restaurants celebrating Christmas to think about the 132,000 in their community who are struggling to put food on the table let alone celebrate Christmas
This is a huge number of people in our community who need support, 132,000 is equivalent to a line of people holding hands from Liverpool to Birmingham (roughly 100 miles). Your support this Christmas will enable us to continue ensuring those in our community in crisis can put good food on the table this winter and beyond.
In our region we have some of the most deprived communities in England, but also some of the wealthiest. In truth, the Liverpool region has the widest gap between rich and poor of anywhere in England. It is certainly within the gift of the Liverpool community to start to address the challenge”.
Matalan CEO Jo Whitfield said:
“Food is such a big part of Christmas, but the reality is that many families will struggle to put food on the table this year due to the rising cost of living challenges. As a business that has called Liverpool its home for more than 30 years, we are proud to be supporting Feeding Liverpool to help more families have access to good food and the joy that brings.”
“Thanks to generous Matalan colleagues across the UK who are supporting the cause, and with all proceeds from our annual festive raffle being donated, we are able to support 2000 families this Christmas. At Matalan, we live by our values, and ‘think family’ couldn’t be more fitting right now. I ask those that can, to donate – however big or small. It will make a huge difference to struggling families this Christmas.”
Hawksmoor Business Development Manager, Emma Hocknell said:
“We have been supporting Feeding Liverpool since Hawksmoor Liverpool’s opening in November 2022. Our customers and staff often enquire about the charities that we support and how they can get involved. Making an affordable donation to Feeding Liverpool over the Christmas and New Year party season is a great way to support those who are most challenged by the cost of living crisis.
We hope that all Bars and Restaurants in Merseyside follow suit so those that are most able to help can make a big difference to our wider community.”
Customers who buy a mince pie from our menu until the end of December will also be supporting Feeding Liverpool. We will donate 50p from each sale to their much-needed causes.
The Feeding Liverpool initiative will run the length of the Christmas and New Year party season, individuals can donate through the Just Giving page here.
If companies would like to donate, they can use the link above or alternatively contact Office and Finance Administrator Gentian Khan on gentian@feedingliverpool.org
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