Food bank calling on volunteers to live on basic rations for four days.
A food bank charity is calling on families, businesses and bloggers to swop their regular pre-Christmas groceries for basic provisions to help raise funds for their annual winter appeal.
MK Food Bank is asking people: ‘Could you live on basic provisions for four days?’ and wants volunteers to experience what it’s like to survive on the contents of a food parcel while raising money for the less fortunate during the winter months.
Milton Keynes Mayor Marie Bradburn, MKFM director Jo Ronan and scores of other local businesspeople have signed up for the tough ‘Food Parcel Challenge’.
As well as raising funds to help support the charity’s vital work, the challenge is designed to highlight the difficulties faced by families over winter and to show that living on a food parcel is not as simple as many people believe.
Participants must choose four consecutive days between 1st and 22nd December, set up a Just Giving page and then buy their basic food shop from a list provided by the charity.
During the Food Parcel experience they can highlight different recipes, plan meals, go to community fridges and share their story on social media.
The Challenge shopping list includes staples such as breakfast cereal, one tin of tomatoes, one tin of meat, a bottle of squash and 20 teabags. This should all be bought as supermarket ‘own brands’ where possible and no luxury items, or treats from friends and relatives are allowed.
Vegetarians, vegans and anyone with dietary requirements can swap products for relevant alternatives.
"We're hoping the MK Food Parcel Challenge will not only raise vital funds for our work this winter, but also raise awareness of the day to day realities for the families and individuals we support,” said Louisa Hobbs, Operations Manager, MK Food Bank.
“Living on a food parcel will not be easy. We provide enough food for a balanced diet, but provisions are basic and will get repetitive.”
MK Food Bank supports around 6,000 households a year, and demand increases during the cold weather.
More details here: https://mkfoodbank.org.uk/latest_appeals/food-parcel-challenge.
