The UK’s leading food bank charity has launched an emergency appeal for the first time in its history to meet a “devastating rise in need”.
With the rising cost of living crisis sadly continuing to make its impact felt nationwide, and inflation currently at a 40-year UK high, The Trussell Trust is warning of its “hardest winter yet” as it says its food banks up and down the country are “struggling to meet a tsunami of demand” – which was now outstripping donations.
The charity says it has already used up the “reserve stock” that would normally help maintain supplies across the winter months at its 1,300 food bank centres.
Food banks are having to purchase three times as much food as they did last year, according to the charity, and on top of that, the trust has distributed 46% more emergency food parcels in August and September than at the same time in 2021.
📣 Despite the #CostOfLiving support package provided by the government, 40% of people on Universal Credit had to skip meals to survive this summer.
This isn't right.
As winter approaches, we’re concerned that this is only going to get worse ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/kd5tw2VugR
The Trussell Trust is now calling on the government to “do what’s right” by providing a package of support that’s “directly targeted at people on the lowest incomes”.
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Launching the emergency appeal and urging the government to lend a hand, Emma Revie – CEO of The Trussell Trust – said: “We never wanted to run an appeal like this, we would rather there was no need for food banks at all, but right now, they are on the frontline of this cost of living emergency and we have no other option.
“Faced with the perfect storm of rising energy prices, inflation and a potential recession that is pushing people deeper into poverty, the soaring cost of living is driving a tsunami of need to food banks.
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“Through this emergency appeal, we hope to raise the vital funds required to ensure that food banks can meet this devastating rise in need”.
The Trussell Trust has launched an emergency appeal to meet a “devastating rise in need” / Credit: The Trussell Trust
Ms Revie says the trust’s main aim is to “continue to support people experiencing hardship.”
The Trussell Trust’s first-ever emergency appeal comes after recent research by consumer group Which? has revealed that millions of families are having to change their shopping and eating habits as they struggle with rising costs.
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Among those struggling the most, 50% even admitted their household was skipping meals.
Featured Image – The Trussell Trust
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Wetherspoons introduces new phone rule at all UK pubs after customers are ‘driven nuts’
Emily Sergeant
JD Wetherspoon has announced a major new phone rule in all its sites across the UK after customers complain of being ‘driven nuts’.
The pub chain – which has nearly 800 branches across the UK – announced earlier this week that it has made the decision to ban people from playing music or videos out of their phones, and from taking calls on loudspeaker.
The ban, which has been introduced effective immediately, follows a rising number of complaints from customers about the noise – with owners saying sounds from smartphones and tablet computers had become an ‘increasing problem’ in recent years.
Wetherspoon founder and chairman, Tim Martin, says he wants Wetherspoon pubs to be ‘an oasis of tranquillity and contemplation’.
Wetherspoons has introduced a new phone rule at all its UK pubs after customers are ‘driven nuts’ / Credit: Allan Rohmer (via Unsplash)
A formal statement from the company announcing the ban reads: “Following complaints from customers, who are being driven nuts by other people’s videos and amplified phone conversations, Wetherspoon has asked customers to switch their phones to silent or to use earphones.”
Tim Martin added: “In order to avoid customers being driven chicken jalfrezi by a cacophony of sound, we are kindly asking phone users to pipe down.”
Wetherspoon’s ban follows a YouGov poll conducted last year questioning public opinion on a proposition made by the Liberal Democrats of introducing fines of up to £1,000 for ‘headphone dodgers’ who play music out loud on buses and trains.
62% of people, on average, said they would back this move if it was introduced.
The poll, which surveyed 6,815 British adults, found that almost three-quarters of those over 65 would support the fines, while those aged between 18 and 24 were split 47% to 43% in favour of it.
Early public reactions to Wetherspoon’s ban appears to be overwhelmingly positive.
Featured Image – Jonathan Borba (via Unsplash)
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Tameside police appeal for witnesses after two men were stabbed and doused in chilli oil
Emily Sergeant
Police are appealing for information regarding ‘multiple incidents’ that were reported in Ashton-under-Lyne town centre earlier this week.
These incidents – which took place on Tuesday evening (18 August) – included reports of assaults involving a non-toxic liquid substances, now found to have been chilli oil, and reported stabbings – with several locations examined by detectives and forensic specialists, and scenes now in place on Stamford Street, Warrington Street, and Wood Street while investigations continue.
Two men, aged 44 and 50, were taken to hospital with injuries consistent with stab wounds, but thankfully, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed that their injuries are not deemed life-threatening.
A 30-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault (grievous bodily harm) and both remain in custody for questioning.
Police believe that the incidents are linked and they are not looking for anyone else in connection.
They are, however, keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed any of the incidents or has relevant CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage that could assist with ongoing investigations.
Can you help? Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact police on 101 or via LiveChat, quoting log 3984 of 18/08/26.
Emily Sergeant -
20th October 2022 
