The head of a West Lothian charity that is fighting to end food poverty is calling for a national food emergency saying one of her clients had to burn furniture to heat their home.
Angela Moohan, CEO of The Larder said never has there been more of a need for governments in Holyrood and Westminster to take decisive action to ensure that everyone has access to good food.
She is speaking ahead of the STUC and TUC upcoming Cost of Living Summit and Demonstration on June 17 and 18, urging union bosses to include the Right to Good Food in their demands on Government as a matter of urgency.
The Larder has been delivering good food with dignity for over five years and in that time have supported over 1500 individuals in West Lothian, who have been hungry, to eat good food, in social settings, with dignity and choice.
The charity has delivered 140,000 ready meals to over 900 people during covid and continues to deliver 900 meals every week to 300 individuals who are moving from despair to destitution as the cost of living crisis starts to take a real grip on those on the lowest incomes.
Angela said: “We see and hear first-hand the harrowing stories of parents going without food to feed their children and only this weekend heard about someone who was burning their furniture to heat their home and make ends meet; such destitution in one of the world’s wealthiest countries!
“The right to good food is very different from the food bank model, that has become so prevalent as the standard response to food insecurity across the UK. The right to good food is very different and includes choice, a feeling of control, good quality nutritious food that acknowledges the social value of food. Importantly, good food has those that are experiencing food insecurity at its heart, including them in the design, delivery and decision making of food aid responses.
“The number of people experiencing food insecurity is such that this must now be declared a ‘national food emergency’ and the STUC and TUC must make ‘The Right to good food’ a key demand from their national activity on June 17 and 18.
“Because, make no mistake about it, this is a major crisis in working class communities.
“At the Larder, we recognise that food banks have played a necessary role in helping feed hungry people but we have to move away from a charitable model of the deserving and undeserving poor that provides poor food for poor people, to a system based on dignity, equality of access, social solidarity and mutual support.
“As with all steps to truly eradicate any kind of poverty, we need governments to take real action. One-step that both governments could be taking now is to begin to enshrine the right to food in law and fund grassroots community organisations to deliver sustainable food with dignity in their area.
“In the Scottish Parliament, the Good Food Nation bill is going through the parliamentary process. This Bill is well meaning but does not go far enough. It was devastating to see that SNP, Green and Tory MSPs voted down an amendment, presented by civic organisations, to enshrine this right in the bill. We would call upon them to reconsider and take urgent action to ensure that no one goes without food.
“We will not stop campaigning for this change and we have another chance with Rhoda Grant MSPs member’s bill to enshrine this right in law.
“Whatever happens, the Larder will continue to do our best to feed people with good food but we need help, we need Governments at Holyrood and Westminster to work meaningfully
and proactively with partners to deliver good food with dignity.”
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