A WINDFALL will help Rugby’s Foodbank provide extra support to people who are locked in poverty this winter.
The foodbank is one of three in Warwickshire to share a grant of £45,000 to fund Citizens Advice Bureau advisers at the sites.
The funds are part of Asda’s £2.5million Covid support package, which the supermarket chain has given to foodbank charity the Trussell Trust to help its UK operations deal with increased pressures as a result of the pandemic.
The money will allow Citizens Advice to employ staff to give clients access to more vital services at the point of crisis.
Foodbank teams will be able to directly refer individuals and families for additional advice and support to a specific Citizens Advice adviser at the food bank, or via a telephone appointment service.
The project, which is due to be launched in January, will help an estimated 1,400 people in the first 12 months.
The additional support will explore areas of financial inclusion, income maximisation, navigating the benefits system, and enabling people to access wider Citizens Advice services such as affordable energy advice, addressing barriers to employment, and money management skills.
Diana Mansell, Chair of charity Hope4 which runs Rugby Foodbank, said: “We’re dedicated to ensuring people in the Rugby area who are without enough money for food are able to access emergency support.
“Thanks to grants towards projects like this one, we’re now able to not only help people at the point of crisis but provide additional help which will make it less likely that someone will need a foodbank in the future.
“Ultimately, no one in Rugby should need to use a foodbank. One emergency food parcel to a local person is one emergency food parcel too many. But together we can work towards a future where everyone has enough money for essentials.”
Visit www.rugby.foodbank.org.uk for more information.
