An anti-food poverty charity in Sheffield announced a new crowdfunding campaign pleading for more funding.
Bags of Taste is a national charity who provides personal courses to those experiencing food poverty, teaching them how to cook cost-effective and healthy food.
Their recent campaign, ‘Give the Gift of Cooking this Autumn’, has already raised over £1000.
The initiative is part of a wider scheme to help people in an unstable financial position to eat healthily, especially when they do not know how to cheaply.
In a feedback survey, one participant told Bags of Taste Sheffield: “I would have found going on a cooking course intimidating, it was good to work at my own pace and in my own kitchen with my own equipment.
“The course made us plan more and gave us inspiration for what to cook, instead of thinking, I’m starving, let’s order a takeaway.”
The charity specialises in supporting people experiencing a number of challenges in their lives, including mental health conditions.
The Sheffield course is run online and all participants need is a phone, then the charity provides the ingredients, which are delivered to your house.
Participants are then supported by a mentor over the phone.
The ‘Give the Gift of Cooking this Autumn’ campaign came after increased levels of food poverty and the cost of living crisis.
Alicia Weston, CEO of Bags of Taste, said to Women in the Food Industry: “Food insecurity is dotted all over the place, often quite cheek-by-jowl with wealthier areas.
“But the North is worst, and particularly the North West.
“Food poverty is completely entwined with poverty – so the poorer the area the worse food poverty is.”
Research by the University of Sheffield found that in 2021, over 2.5% of adults in the city experienced hunger due to lack of food, while 11.43% worried about accessing sufficient food.
Miss Weston said: “ I think it is often exacerbated in areas where food access is difficult, so rural or low population areas, where, without transport, you can end up relying on an expensive village shop.”
Bags of Taste cater for all dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, and halal.
To donate to the campaign, follow this link.