Our Explorer Scout Unit (scout group for 14-18 year olds) has decided to help our local food bank (Greenwich Food Bank) by organising a sponsored sleepout. On the weekend of the 3rd/4th of December, we will sleep outside the foodbank depot in cardboard boxes, just up from our hut, by Severndroog castle in Oxleas wood. 

We hope sleeping outdoors, in December, will be a challenge for our explorers, braving the harsh weather conditions often experienced during winter, and we hope to raise as much as we possibly can, in order to allow the foodbank to continue its vital work. Our target is to raise £2000, which would provide a week's worth of food, all proceeds will go directly to the foodbank.

These are pictures from last time we did a sleepout - due to covid restrictions, it had to happen in our own gardens! Despite this we still managed to raise £1700!!!

In one of our recent meetings, we visited the Food Bank Depot, where we learnt more about the vital role they play in our community. Greenwich Food Bank helps those in crisis to access nutritionally balanced food supplies. Last year they provided over 90,000 meals to people in our borough but this year, by the beginning of October, they have already distributed over 105,000 meals. These meals are distributed in emergency packages which will feed people for 3-4 days. So for a single person that is 9-12 meals, amounting to around 10kg of food. 

As inflation rises and a cost of living crisis looms, increasing numbers of people are struggling to put food on the table, subjecting food banks to an unprecedented level of demand. Because of this the food bank's resources are being stretched and they are having to purchase food, as well as relying on donations. Last month they spent £8000 on food to distribute to the 9 welcome centres across the borough, but next month they expect to spend over £9500, for 4 week's worth of food. This is why we are aiming to raise £2000, as we could potentially provide a week's worth of food.

Unfortunately, it is seems that this rise in demand and costs is only going to increase over the coming months, as more and more members of our community are affected by the cost of living crisis. Now more than ever, it is paramount that this service is able to provide for those in need of it, despite rising costs.