Today, Monday 22 September, local MPs, community leaders, residents, councillors and current partners will come together to launch a campaign to secure the funding urgently needed for the Healthy Living Platform (HLP) surplus food hub in Lambeth to continue operating.
Current funding is only certain until March 2026.
Helen Hayes MP, Florence Eshalomi MP, Belle Ribeiro-Addi MP, food pantry customers, local councillors and HLP’s current partners are expected to attend the HLP Surplus Food Hub (Brixton Road SW9) to help to launch the urgent appeal.
The Surplus Food Hub plays a vital role in helping to tackle the triple crisis in Lambeth of hunger, poor diet and food waste.
Surplus food is received in bulk from major redistribution charities, then packaged and distributed through 40+ local groups to households across Lambeth. A total of 67,000 kg of surplus food is distributed every quarter, the equivalent of five double-decker buses of food or over 100,000 meals.
Poverty and food insecurity affect thousands of families in Lambeth.
- Nearly 22,000 Lambeth children live in poverty after housing costs.
- Over one-third of pupils rely on free school meals
63% of the surplus food distributed by the HLP Hub is fresh fruit and veg. 30 emergency food crates are provided each quarter for residents in immediate crisis.
The Surplus Food Hub’s funding is only secure until March 2026, after which the Hub faces a gap unless new investment is secured.
Years of local authority budget cuts and shrinking public health funds mean there is no guaranteed statutory funding stream for this type of food infrastructure, even though demand is rising sharply.
The Secure the Hub campaign seeks to lock in multi-year support from diverse sources such as trusts, foundations, corporates and community partners so that healthy food keeps flowing to those who need it most in Lambeth.
A healthy diet that meets the NHS Eatwell Guide costs the lowest-income households around 40% of their disposable income, making it unaffordable for many. Families on tight budgets are often only able to buy energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods because they are around three times cheaper per calorie than fresh fruit and vegetables.
More info
Healthy Living Platform Surplus Food Hub,
336 Brixton Road SW97AA (entrance at back via Wynne Rd).
Contact: Brodie.Neilson@
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