Appeal to help vital food support effort in Blackpool

The campaign has been launched by the Blackpool Food Partnership, which is running two separate projects aimed at helping the most vulnerable people in the town.

Organisers are appealing to people to offer whatever help they can afford to help keep the projects going through the pandemic crisis, which has effectively doubled the demand for food provisions.

Neil Reid, who runs Blackpool Food Bank, said: “Four thousand pounds will help buy one week’s worth of essentials, so £40,000 will support the service for the next 10 weeks - and demand is rising.

“Any extra help people can offer will be vital and that’s why we set up the appeal.”

One of the projects sees Blackpool Food Bank supplying door step drop food parcels to residents who are unable to access food because they are confined to their homes. This is a vital safety net for those who do not have family or friends to help them.

In addition to this, the Food Bank is also running a hot food service seven days a week for the homeless in the town who are now living in B&B accommodation but have no access to cooking facilities.

This provides breakfast, lunch and dinner to this vulnerable group who have no other way off accessing a meal.

Funds will help provide items such as pasta and rice, tinned goods, long-life milk, pasta sauces, biscuits and fresh fruit.

The campaign page runs until Thursday May 28 at 3.32pm and by lunchtime today (Thursday) it had raised £680 of that £40,000.

Anyone who wants to help can visit the fund-raising page at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/support-blackpool-food-partnership