Many people worry about how they can afford the rising cost of food. To help communities across the region, we've partnered with Harmony Fire and charity partner Rapid Relief Team (RRT) to support more households with this.
Recently, a team of volunteers from Harmony Fire gathered for a day of action to assemble over 1,600 individual food parcels that will then be distributed to households across the UK.
Following an outstanding effort by volunteers, we have now received 382 food parcels, which have been distributed to 17 food banks, community organisations and distribution centres across our communities in the South West.
Pat Patel, General Manager at Tamar View Community Complex, said: “These parcels will go a long way towards the help we can provide people in the Tamar Community – thank you.”
Sue, a Food Bank Leader, added: “Many LiveWest residents use this bank and we plan to distribute these food parcels to residents and those who need immediate support in our community – it’s a truly amazing initiative.”
Our community connectors, who work on projects that benefit residents and bring positive change, nominated food banks where communities are most in need. Recipients of food parcels include Food for Families, Tamar View Food Bank, Wadebridge Food Bank, Liskeard and Looe Foodbank and Tavistock Library.
The food parcels contain core food staples to support a family of four for a minimum of two days, as well as helpful recipe information that extends the utility of the parcel beyond its immediate contents.
Gia Hancock, our Community Investment and Tenancy Sustainment Manager, said: “We're incredibly proud of the social value being delivered through our partnership with Harmony Fire. This initiative has seen the creation of over 500 food boxes, which are now being distributed to food banks and vital projects supporting residents in our areas.
“At a time when the cost of living continues to impact so many across the country, this collaborative effort highlights the power of working together to uplift our communities. These food boxes will provide much-needed support to individuals and families facing hardship.
"A huge thank you to Harmony Fire for its commitment and generosity in making such a tangible difference. We value this partnership and the positive impact we're achieving together.”
Giles Holley, Partnership Director at Harmony Fire commented: “There are many reasons why households can encounter food insecurity, and the impact can be immediate and devastating for adults and children.
"Family circumstances can change rapidly and working together with LiveWest to lend our collective support to those organisations that step forward and provide a lifeline and immediate assistance to those in need is a cause we passionately support.
“The food parcel initiative is designed to give hope, warm food and sustenance, and remove the potential stigmatism associated with food insecurity as parcels can be discretely delivered to where they are needed the most. This is just one of the many ways that LiveWest is actively supporting frontline communities across the South West.”
Tegan Heard, our Sustainability Manager, added: “As a social housing provider, many of our residents are at the lower end of the income spectrum and we do see fuel and food poverty within our communities.
"This donation goes a long way to supporting those customers, providing some of the resources needed to support more comfortable and healthier lives.”