A guest blog from Emma Revie, CEO of our associate The Trussell Trust
We were thrilled when we were asked to be part in Greenbelt Festival. To have the opportunity to share the work we do with like-minded people is a gift. We know from experience how generous Greenbelters are – last year they donated a staggering 700kg of food which was given to the local foodbank in Kettering.
It is these shared values that make me so excited to see The Trussell Trust play such an active role in this year’s festival, and there are so many ways in which you can get involved and help us end hunger in the UK.
At the Takeaway area you’ll find The Trussell Trust’s tent, which will be crammed with interactive opportunities to learn more about what exactly a foodbank is and how the foodbank teams support people in your local communities who are facing hunger. You will see not only what, but who a foodbank is, help challenge the common perception that foodbanks are all about baked beans and pasta, and chat to The Trussell Trust team about the ways in which we work with the people who visit our foodbank. We address their current crisis and explore the different ways in which we work with them to help them find a firmer footing.
It’s fantastic to have the support of Jack Monroe, who has been such a great supporter of The Trussell Trust. She’ll be hosting two Cooking on a Bootstrap sessions in the brand new Table venue, with Trussell Trust people asking her questions as she cooks (Director of Policy, External Affairs and Research, Garry Lemon on the Saturday, 12-1pm, and Rebekah Gibson – the Project Manager of Waterloo Foodbank on Monday, 12-1pm). As well as being a celebrated cook, Jack uses their own experiences to campaign against poverty and social injustice in the UK.
The Treehouse venue is where you’ll be able to join in the conversation on Talking about Poverty with Garry, Jack Monroe, Paul and Nicky Hawkins, Communications Strategist at Frameworks Institute. This round-table discussion challenges how we talk about poverty in 2018 and how the language we use frames public perception of the issue.
Meanwhile, at the Forge venue, Hannah-Mae, Campaigns Coordinator at The Trussell Trust, will work with participants in a role-playing workshop to understand how it takes more than just food to address the issue of hunger and invite participants to walk in the shoes of foodbank visitors and those who receive them.
This is just a taster of what we’re doing at Greenbelt this year! For more information visit www.trusselltrust.org/festivals
The Trussell Trust’s goal is to end hunger in the UK. We won’t stop until the last of the foodbanks in our network has closed because it is no longer needed in its community. We all play a vital role in making this goal a reality and there are so many ways in which you can help and stand by people in your community and around the UK who are facing hunger right now.
We can’t wait to see you at Greenbelt!
Pictured: Emma Revie, CEO of The Trussell Trust