Getting the kettle back on at the Quids In food clubs
With living costs rising, our Quids In Food Clubs are needed more than ever; as one member told us, “without Quids In I can’t make ends meet”.
Over the last 12 months the five Quids In food clubs have given out 10,512 weekly food shops, which has also saved over 70,500 tonnes of food going to waste. We also know that the clubs are about more than food for many members, so the changes made to the clubs to keep them running during the pandemic left some members feeling disconnected and missing their friends.
When Covid restrictions lifted, we surveyed our members to find out how they felt about coming into the clubs again. People told us they were glad we’d put measures in place during the pandemic and had always felt safe at the clubs, but many were keen to bring back the social side of the clubs. One member told us that “It would be lovely to be able to go inside and have chats with other members” and another made a more direct request to “Bring back coffee”.
So, we are delighted that coffee is now back at most of the clubs! Members can still choose to collect their food at the door of the club if they prefer, but it’s lovely to see people having a brew with friends, getting to know new members and finding out what’s going on locally when they come in to pick up their food.
Keeping the Quids In Food Clubs going wouldn’t be possible without the support of our fantastic volunteers, food partners and donors. The last 12 months have been particularly challenging as food supplies to the clubs have reduced. The grants, new food partners, and kind donations of food and money by individuals, have all made a huge difference. Thank you to everyone involved in helping hundreds of families in south Manchester put food on the table every week.
You can find out more about Quids In and how you can support it here.