Project 35 Household Support Fund
Project 35 has continued its mission to tackle poverty by harnessing the great work of the Argyle Community Trust to deliver over 300 food hampers to Plymouth communities identified as most affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
The Household Support Fund has supported 53 families over nine weeks in Stonehouse and Whitleigh, with an incredible 307 food hampers distributed to those most in need. Families were identified through the Trust’s network of partners, including St Chad's Church and staff from High Street Primary School.
Trust staff were able to utilise the delivery of the existing ‘Active Through Football’ health and wellbeing programme already supporting residents in these areas to supercharge the Project. This enabled the use of an existing network of facilities, staff, and resources to operate at the heart of these communities.
Charity partners Devon and Cornwall Food Action provided invaluable support packing and sorting the hampers each week and delivering them to St Chad's Church in Whitleigh and Oasis Café Foodbank in Stonehouse.
The initiative was a great opportunity to provide further support with information and advice on fuel poverty – another type of poverty Project 35 aims to address. Staff were able to provide targeted information and literature on a dedicated EFL campaign promoting smart meters and how they can help people control their energy bills.
Argyle’s headline partner in Project 35, Ginsters, has been integral in supporting the Household Support Fund and providing products, including pasties, for the hampers.
Talking of the success of the initiative, Argyle Community Trust Active Through Football Programme Manager, Ryan Parker, said: “We’ve been delivering 35 to 40 food hampers each week, so it has been a fantastic effort. The food hamper contains fruit and veg, frozen goods, Ginsters pasties, bread, and milk so it’s a good all-round supportive package for families.
“Devon and Cornwall Food Action has been very supportive, and we want to say a huge thanks to our project partners Ginsters. Without their support, projects like this wouldn’t happen.”
For more information on Project 35, and how you can get involved, click here.
