News

Barnet Food Hub closure described as ‘devastating blow’

The volunteer-run hub will close next month after losing its funding from Barnet Council, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Barnet Food Hub volunteers
Barnet Food Hub volunteers

A hub that supplies 17 foodbanks in the borough is set to close in September after its funding was withdrawn in what’s described as a “devastating blow”.

An “extremely challenging” financial climate has been blamed by Barnet Council for the withdrawl of funding for Barnet Food Hub, based at Old East Barnet Library, which supplies a network of around 17 foodbanks with food and household supplies.

Sarah Snell, manager of the Rainbow Centre foodbank based in Chipping Barnet, said “over 50%” of their supplies came from the hub. 

“We would go there on a weekly or biweekly basis and they would give us rice, pasta, fresh goods, canned goods, fruit, we now need to source that from somewhere else, it’s a devastating blow for a lot of people,” Sarah said.

“I’m speaking on behalf of many foodbanks, our numbers [users] are going up by tenfold, for some of the foodbanks that [Barnet Food Hub] was their main source of food.”

Bob Bevil, an advocacy and campaigning lead at Chipping Barnet Foodbank, said he was “astounded” at the timeframe presented to foodbanks to prepare for the closure and that news of the cuts still wasn’t “widely known”.

He said: “Alarmingly, and without any consultation, the foodbanks were given only eight weeks’ notice to find a contingency when they were informed in early August, the month traditionally bereft of key decision-making stakeholders and when foodbanks operate skeleton staff teams often supporting children through the summer. 

“The decision has created a nervousness and trepidation especially with the smaller foodbanks which are highly reliant on the hub.

“With imagination and digging very deep, I’m sure a justification for the decision can be found. However, the communication of the decision was a travesty, especially at a time when childhood poverty is rightly in the limelight.”

Minutes from the hub’s latest monthly foodbank meeting show that director Sarah Whitby had noted the “severe impact” of the closure. The hub plans to build on existing partnerships with The Felix Project, Volunteers on Wheels and food distributors “to provide short-term continuation of some provision”. 

Short-term aid in the form of funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA) was proposed as a way to facilitate food distribution for up to six months after the closure. Currently, the hub anticipates it can facilitate a further three months of distribution but recognised this was not “a solution or a replacement”. 

Sarah Snell said the Rainbow Centre, like many other local foodbanks, needed donations now more than ever.

She said: “We have 80 individuals visiting us weekly and they go on to feed a family, so the overall figure we’re supplying is 250 to 300 individuals. I [often] have social workers and care providers ring us and say they have a client in desperate need.”

In response to these concerns, a Barnet Council spokesperson said: “We recognise the hugely valuable contribution foodbanks have made in supporting residents during the cost-of-living crisis and would like to thank our fantastic partners, Barnet Together, for operating the hub.

“Our support for the food hub was initially made possible by government Covid funding, and we maintained support because of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Unfortunately, like other local authorities, we continue to face an extremely challenging financial climate. While we were able to support our hub for longer than many other boroughs, we are sadly no longer able to provide funding for its operational costs.

“Public health funding has been identified to support a transition period so that surplus food deliveries can continue to Barnet foodbanks until the end of the year, helping to ensure they have adequate supplies over the Christmas period. We remain committed to working with partners throughout this period.

“Moving forward, we will continue to work with local foodbanks and other partners as part of our commitment to reducing poverty and inequality in our borough.

“We recognise that the cost-of-living crisis is not over and are continuing to offer support to our residents. Our benefit calculator has so far helped residents to identify more than £8m in unclaimed benefits, and our Resident Support Fund is available to help those struggling to afford food, energy bills and other living costs.”


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