Plans for free breakfast clubs and fruit and veg vouchers to tackle food poverty

An action plan is being developed by the recently-formed Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance to tackle long-term "chronic" food poverty by introducing initiatives.

A report is due to be presented to Shropshire Council's health and wellbeing board today, and will ask the board to consider and contribute to the plan.

The report says that one in five children are living in poverty and that Citizen’s Advice Shropshire has estimated that a possible 27,000 families in the county may have to cut their food budgets this year.

The alliance was formed in January and has been carrying out research this year in order to develop the action plan.

Among the initiatives, the alliance will try and remove the stigma of using food banks using a range of new initiatives, create affordable food box schemes to be delivered to people's doors, start holiday projects which offer free food to those in receipt of free school meals, and begin food buying for elderly patients on discharge from hospital.

The report says: "Volunteer-run food banks across the county provide emergency food parcels, however this assistance is time-limited and is only available to households in extreme financial crisis.

"Food banks report that people who need emergency food parcels are coming from an increasingly wide range of situations, including families and those who are in work.

"Currently there is very little provision in Shropshire for households who find themselves in chronic long-term food poverty and the desired outcome of the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance would be the introduction of initiatives across the county such as those implemented in Brighton, which go beyond emergency food provision towards a much wider and more preventative approach to food poverty whilst using existing infrastructure and expertise."

The alliance is co-ordinated by Shrewsbury Food Hub, with a steering group of organisations including Citizens Advice Shropshire, Shropshire Council, Age UK and University Centre, Shrewsbury.

The report adds: "We have identified a wide range of potential solutions, some of which are easy wins and some of which will require refocus of existing resources or new funding."

The health and wellbeing board will be asked to consider and contribute to the development and implementation of the food poverty action plan at its meeting in Shirehall.

For more information about the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance visit shropshirefoodpoverty.org.uk/