A research study to help achieve food secure communities
Food insecurity is widespread.
1 in 5 households with children in the UK cannot afford regular access to food.
This has a negative impact on physical and mental health.
Help with food in the community
Many different organisations and initiatives have developed in recent years as part of efforts to alleviate household food insecurity. Food banks typically provide emergency food parcels to support households with essentials for a few days; food pantries offer a wider selection of fresh food for a small fee. And many other food-related initiatives have grown, such as community kitchens and community gardens. Some organisations, in addition to providing food, provide support with benefits, energy bills or finding paid work.
We call this wide variety of food support providers ‘community food organisations’. With this term we include both informal community projects and more established charitable food aid providers.
Fair Food Futures UK is a research project
aiming to understand the role of community food organisations in the UK. We conducted research in two cities: Bradford and London (Tower Hamlets). We wanted to find out what types of support families find most helpful. We have been exploring how food organisations also provide other types of support ‘beyond’ food, for instance, benefits advice or help with energy bills. We wanted to understand how this wider support can help families to no longer need food support.
This project has been funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Fair Food Futures UK is a partnership
Our team included researchers from University of York and University College London (UCL), Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR), people who have experienced food insecurity and staff from Bradford City Council and Tower Hamlets Council. .
This research is linked with the UKRI Food systems transformation project “Fix our food” and UKPRP project Act Early, which aims to improve the health and opportunities for children living in areas with high levels of child poverty.
Fair Food Futures UK photography exhibition
For over a year, three researchers have been embedded in nine community food organisations in Tower Hamlets and Bradford, working alongside local teams and families. The Fair Food Futures UK exhibition brings together powerful photographs and stories of food help, dignity and belonging shared by families with children.