MP hails the work of charity that’s helping families in need
A new food pantry is now offering support to families in Bath who are struggling during these uncertain times.
Bath MP Wera Hobhouse visited Mercy in Action, a charity running a successful food pantry on Lower Bristol Road.
Ms Hobhouse said: “Mercy in Action are doing amazing work supporting our hardest-hit families. Many have struggled through lockdown, but some are now facing a crisis. Constituents have told me that they will prioritise rent and bills over food if they are struggling which is deeply worrying.”
The charity is working with Fareshare South West who provide food that is oversupply from production for their food pantry, called Action Pantry.
Mercy in Action Director Allison Todd said: “Unlike a food bank, where you have a restricted number of visits and get a box of food, our Action Pantry members pay £3 to join and can then come and choose food to suit their needs. Members are usually referred to us by other services, or Bath and North East Somerset Council.”
Set up 25 years ago to support street children in the Philippines, Allison and her husband John have since expanded Mercy in Action in the UK.
Under the banner Petra, they have five houses for homeless young mums. They now have 26 charity shops across the West Country, of which 23 have reopened after lockdown, including the one in Bear Flat in Bath. John Todd said: “All the shop donations we receive come to our site on the Lower Bristol Road. First they have to be quarantined for 72 hours, so that any trace of Covid-19 is rendered harmless. Then they can be sorted.
“Sorted items are then returned to the shops for resale. It’s a very sustainable way of doing things. Very little leaves here as waste, and the income generated pays for all the services we offer,.”
Allison Todd said: “It’s such a shame that so many children are going hungry. Many families can’t survive on a single low-wage salary.”
Ms Hobhouse said: “We saw Universal Credit claims rocket by 86% in Bath and North East Somerset during the first three months of lockdown and we’re staring at the cliff-edge of furlough coming to an end. We know that Citizens Advice are preparing for a 60% increase in debt enquiries, and that we’re in a mental health crisis. So the vital work of charities like Mercy in Action is going to become more important than ever.”