Foodbank

Foodbank

On assignment for Dagens Nyheter we visited Coventry where we met Gavin Kibble who runs the Coventry Foodbank – part of the Trussell Trust Foodbanks. Gavin talked about how they expected to give food to 16,000 people in Coventry this year double the requirement in 2012. From April to September this year the Trussell Trust Foodbanks has given food to 355,892 people.

With Gavin we visited one of the warehouses where volunteers sorted the donated food and packed it into boxes ready to be given to people in need. Warehouse Manager Mitch was wearing an appropriate t shirt with the text “Keep Calm and Feed Coventry”. We then carried on to the Hope Center where care professionals had identified people in crisis and issued them with a Foodbank voucher which gave three days emergency food.

The existence and need of Foodbanks in Britain today is quite shocking. I was very impressed with the sincerity and dedication of Gavin and his team of volunteers who quite unselfishly spend many hours each week helping those in need.