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| County Councillor Azhar Ali |
Lancashire County Council has handed out £150,000 to help people who cannot afford to eat, with some £6000 made directly to local organisations.
The money has been given to 22 groups across the county as Food Poverty Grants, to help them ensure they have everything they need to continue supplying food to people who need it most.
Some of the groups getting funding include Methodist Action North West and Together Lancashire, who both operate across the county, as well as Open Door in Pendle and the Raft Foundation in Rossendale.
The funding will ensure they have everything they need to carry on providing their services.
County Councillor Azhar Ali, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, who took the decision to award this funding last week, said: “We’re living in times where some people don’t have enough money to eat properly and this can have a serious effect on their health.
“Food banks and other organisations do a superb job getting food parcels to people who need it most.
“It’s often difficult to keep these groups running. With these grants we wanted to ensure that the money was spent on making sure they have everything they need to operate for many years to come.
“It will be invested in facilities like cooking equipment, storage and training to make organisations more resilient.
“As the Archbishop of Canterbury highlighted at the weekend, food poverty is an issue that affects many areas of the country.
“The county council is committed to doing all it can to alleviate food poverty, which is a problem that needs to be taken seriously by government at all levels.”
Food banks and other groups that help provide food are often looking for donations, particularly at this time of year.
Councillor Ali added: “People who run these groups work tirelessly, often with very limited resources and it’s a real struggle to keep them going.
“If you feel you could help them out with food or by becoming a volunteer, you should get in contact with them.
“Donations can include tinned or fresh food as long as it’s within its use-by date.”
