With the recent rise in poverty around the UK it has been proven that the North East is one of the most affected places. A recent study carried out by Bernardos shows that 1 in every 3 children in the North East are living below the poverty line, and 1 in 5 of the whole UK population are below the poverty line as well. Shocking! In Newcastle alone up to 30% of families are living on out-of-work  benefits. This meant that a local charity (the Gateshead Foodbank) gave out over 4,000 emergency three day meals last year.
We asked Mr Welch, a Burnside teacher,  devoted to helping charity and people in need, what he thought about this. Mr Welch saw the need to help Food Banks and was the driving force behind Burnsides involvement with the Food Banks. We asked how effective he thought these local food banks were. And he told us in an interview, that ‘€œThe local food bank that Burnside works with is very much serving  the interest of the direct members of the local community. They work with people on a personal basis. Individual people and families come to the food bank to be assessed on their needs.This means that it is very effective for the local area.’€
We also asked how food banks are helping people in the local area. He replied, ‘€œThey give emergency food supplies to people  and families who have no other method of feeding themselves. They also provide a vital link in the chain to stop families going without any food at all.’€
Food banks all around the North East and the UK are working to cut down these shockingly high figures of child poverty every day. Food banks are not only looking for food but they do need some very unexpected items to help out as well. Information provided by the Newcastle East food bank shows that food banks also need:
- Toilet roll
- Tin openers
- Nappies
- Baby food
- Toiletries such as: shampoo, shower gel and deodorant.
- And sanitary towels
The Foodbank that Burnside works with collected over half a tonne of food that we donated as part of the Cans for Grans appeal. Burnside run this appeal every year to support the local senior citizens and they donate any supplies to our local foodbank.
Thanks to the generosity of pupils at Burnside and the kind efforts of  people like Mr Welsh, families won’€™t go hungry just yet. However, in a society such as ours, it’€™s surprising that such measures are needed. We can hope this changes soon.
By Abbie and Amy-Leigh
