Organisations that help low income families facing food shortages have been granted nearly £300,000 by West Lothian Council.
The group has provided more than two million meals since it was founded two years ago
The funding application from the West Lothian Food Network was approved at the council executive at its last meeting. The funding will support the network from this month through to September as the cost of living surges.
The network aims to tackle food poverty, sometimes known as food insecurity, where individuals and families don’t have reliable access to sufficient affordable food.
In total, the council has agreed £1.2 million to provide additional payments to the West Lothian Food Network. The funding is provided in phases to support the network over 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023 to help those experiencing food insecurity.
The West Lothian Food Network was formed in Spring 2020 with 24 organisations.
The plan for the network was agreed just three weeks before the first lockdown was announced and so the founding organisations had to hit the ground running, providing foodstuff and cooked meals to hundreds of people who had to isolate.
Its membership has grown to 40 organisations, many of them voluntary, and some social enterprises, which ensures coverage across the whole of West Lothian.
The distribution includes a combination of cooked food, emergency food parcels, specific foods to meet the requirements of BAME groups, and access to fresh, frozen and ambient foods as well as providing toiletries, cleaning products, baby food and pet food.
The majority of households accessing community food providers since April 2021 say it is because they face financial pressures on a low income or unemployment.
Given the ongoing pressure on household budgets, changes to Universal Credit and the increase in living costs, it is expected that this demand for food support will remain for some time.
Between May 2020 to the end of December 2021, the West Lothian Food Network has provided a total of more than two million (2,434,488 )meals. That is an average of seven meals per week to 4,044 people.
A money advisor from the council’s Advice Shop is working with the network to provide integrated money advice, aiming to help those who repeatedly face food insecurity over the long term to become financially more resilient.
Evidence shows that integrating money advice with food support helps customers to gain entitlement to benefits and to access other help and support.
West Lothian Council’s anti-poverty manager Nahid Hanif said: “The West Lothian Food Network has grown in membership and covers the whole of West Lothian. It is providing a valuable service in reducing food waste and supporting low-income households to be able to access good quality, nutritious food on an ongoing basis. The network’s application for funding until September 2022 will enable community providers to work on plans to become more sustainable whilst providing a continued service to those facing food insecurity.
“Figures from October to December 2021 show a steady increase in the numbers accessing food and are higher than the same period in 2020. In December 2021, 4,664 people were accessing the network weekly.
“This highlights the important work that the West Lothian Food Network carries out across all of West Lothian in helping local people.”
Anyone looking for support with food locally can access the on-line community food providers map to find a provider near them: www.westlothian.gov.uk/access-to-food
If you are worried about money, food and or fuel the Advice Shop can help by providing help and support on 01506 283000 or email: Advice.Shop@westlothian.gov.uk.
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