During the Covid-19 pandemic, Food Plymouth’s Food Equality Project began work on a Food Access Guide for Plymouth. This was a response to the acute pressures experienced by many individuals, families and communities due to the Coronavirus lockdown and beyond. The Guide attempts to map and support navigation through the emergency food aid available in the city. It also signposts to other support for a range of issues made worse by the lockdown, including domestic abuse, debt and mental health.
Consultation with communities and partners in the city made it clear that community-based responses and resources; new local partnerships, online cooking support, access to low cost recipes, are also key to supporting individuals and communities moving through this ongoing pandemic crisis. The Food Access Guide continued to map and share these initiatives over the months that followed: https://foodplymouth.org/do-you-need-information-about-how-to-access-food/
The Food Access Guide was launched to coincide with the 2020 Challenge Poverty Week, highlighting the need to address the root causes of poverty. It offers an easy to use digital tool, built around a series of questions requiring click-through responses. A Frequently Asked Questions section is also available.
We were also delighted to welcome Vicky Reeve to the team! Vicky joined us as we embarked on the delivery of our next phase of work focussing on young people in Plymouth.
“I am thrilled to join the Food Plymouth team and am really looking forward to engaging with the communities. I am passionate about everything to do with food and the impact it can have on everyones lives.”
AUTUMN 2022 UPDATE: In the wake of the cost-of-living crisis, additional resources are also available for anyone worrying about money. The “Worrying About Money?” leaflet sets out sources of support in Plymouth, taking a cash first approach to suppporting anyone struggling to make ends meet. You can access an online version here, download a copy here or look out for physical copies in community centres across the city.
