Agenda item

The Committee received a presentation from Sarah Greenwood, London Foodbank Network Manager at the Trussell Trust, after which Members had the opportunity to ask questions.

Ms Greenwood thanked the Committee for their current and previous funding, and detailed some of the key work the Trussell Trust had been able to undertake, including opening new foodbanks, facilitating mental health and Health and Safety training, re-training for struggling foodbank members, and a number of public appearances, including on the BBC news. Ms Greenwood advised Members that there were 39 foodbanks and 96 centres in the network and the oversight allowed by the Network Manager post allowed for best practice and stress management information to be disseminated across the network, and a strategic team to be assembled to address the underlying reasons for poverty.

In response to Members’ questions, Ms Greenwood reported that most referrals came from statutory agencies (primarily Citizens Advice Bureaux and Job Centres). Ms Greenwood advised that there was an increase in footfall but the Trussell Trust focussed on reducing the number of return visits, and increasingly on enabling people to solve the underlying problems affecting them, e.g. through provision of debt management advice.

The Chairman thanked Ms Greenwood for her presentation.