Gainsborough has areas of deprivation, particularly in the South West ward which is rated as one of the most deprived in the country. The cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated existing issues such as fuel and food poverty (over 50% of homes in the South West ward fail to meet the Government Decent Homes Standard). Due to financial hardship Individuals and families rely on food banks during difficult times.
Gainsborough is not unique in this respect, recent research conducted by IPOS on behalf of the Trussell Trust about food hunger in the UK revealed that 14% of all UK adults (or their households) have experienced food insecurity in the 12 months to mid-2022. The research shows that certain groups of people are more at risk, the drivers pushing people towards hunger, and how this leads to further issues, including isolation, debt and health problems.
To gain a better understanding of food insecurity in Gainsborough, the Gainsborough Local Access Programme is working with Locality and is seeking to engage with frontline organisations (such as Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise groups) and local residents to understand their lived experiences of food insecurity, to receive feedback, and to develop improved ways of addressing food insecurity.
To get involved, share your experiences, and provide feedback you can take the survey here: https://forms.gle/ymkHg9Dcj3CtBYbTA
To find out more about this research you can get in touch with Mick McGrath (Development Officer – Locality): mick.mcgrath@locality.org.uk
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