Following the arrival of Covid19 and subsequent lockdown, many of the town’s charities have seen an increase in demand for their services after families and individuals found themselves effected by job losses and in financial difficulty.

Professor Gurch Randhawa, Director of the Institute for Health Research at the University of Bedfordshire, has joined the Luton Foodbank’s campaign. He hopes his message will help remind people that the charity is there for them, and that they should not feel ashamed to ask for help.

He said: “Sadly, food poverty is a daily lived experience for many people in the UK. I feel it is my duty, from a relatively privileged position, to do as much as I can to support Luton Foodbank – and to encourage those in need to access the foodbank.”

Luton Foodbank’s ‘Here to Help’ campaign coincides with the end of the national Job Retention Scheme, the government initiative which aimed to protect jobs during the pandemic. Despite this furlough scheme being replaced with the new Job Support Scheme from 1^st November, it is expected many employers could be forced to shed jobs in a bid to avoid going out of business.

Rachel Hopkins MP, who is also a volunteer with the charity, said: “The government’s decision to end the Job Retention Scheme will have a damaging impact on communities around the country, with more and more people forced into financial insecurity."

“While I welcome the Job Support Scheme, I am concerned that it may not be enough to prevent the number of redundancies increasing."

This is an incredibly challenging time for many in our town, and I encourage those that find themselves in difficulties to contact the Luton Foodbank.

Salma Khan, the project manager of the Luton Foodbank, added: “There are many people faced with the uncertainty of not knowing if they will be able to provide for their families. We want them to know that we are here to help.”

If you or someone you know wants information about how to access food parcels, you can contact the Luton Foodbank on info@lutonfoodbank.org.uk or call the team on 01582 725 838.