Take part in the UK Money Blogger’s Foodbank Advent 2020
2020 has been a tough year for many of us, with millions of jobs affected by lockdown and Coronavirus. Shocking figures from the Trussell Trust show that 1.9 million people accessed foodbanks in the 12 months BEFORE the pandemic, and this number is estimated to rise by 61% this winter.
As part of the UK Money Bloggers community, I am getting involved in the FoodBank Advent challenge and encourage you to do the same.
What is the Food Bank Advent Challenge?
The Food Bank Advent works in a similar way as a traditional advent calendar, except that instead of taking something out of a box, you put something in! So for 24 days, you can add an essential Food Bank item into a box and then when it is full, you donate it to a local foodbank. This is done in November to allow plenty of time for the contents to be distributed before Christmas.
What sort of items should I include?
It is worth locating a local Food Bank and contacting them to find out what they need. Often key staples such as beans and pasta are in plentiful supply, but they may be really struggling for other items. Some of the items a food bank worker said were in need this year included:
UHT Milk
UHT Fruit Juice
Tinned Fruit
Cereal
Rice Pudding
Tinned Tuna
Tinned / Packet Soup
Washing powder
Cleaning Products
Personal care items – shower gel, sanitary towels etc.
Remember, fresh produce is not suitable for donation.
I’m in England – How can I complete my FoodBank Advent during lockdown?
Personally, I will be adding to my foodbank advent with a few items each week rather than one thing daily. As the essential shops are open, you could pick up a few items at a time along with your own shop so you are doing them as part of an essential trip. I order my shopping online, so I will add them this way and also look at what I already have in the cupboards that could be used.
How can I find a local foodbank?
The Trussell Trust has a list of foodbanks searchable by postcode, but you can also find donation points in supermarkets, or with a direct internet search with your town name and “foodbank”.
Share The Love
If you get involved, make sure to tell your friends about it by sharing this post, or pictures of your own box with the hashtag #FoodBankAdvent. Many people share a daily or weekly photo to show the progress of their box filling up. The more people that are inspired to get involved, the more people we can help this Christmas.
