This week we continued to provide regular and emergency food and essential item support to households across the city.
Thank you – Union and Community Group Solidarity
Thanks to the Young Communist League for ongoing collections and donations.
Thanks also to CWU (Communication Workers Union) for donations last week.
OMA sends solidarity to all striking workers, especially NEU members who went on strike this week and to the UCU who voted for additional strike days this week! We donated items that could not be distributed in our parcels to Our Unions Our Power’s Strike Solidarity party for their raffle on Saturday evening.
Number of children in food poverty doubles in one year
A recent article from The Guardian outlines the striking increase in food poverty in the UK. 4 million children are now considered to be in food poverty, up 100% from last year’s figures. “According to the Food Foundation thinktank, one in five (22%) of households reported skipping meals, going hungry or not eating for a whole day in January”. With 800,000 children in poverty not eligible for free school meals, support falls on groups and organisations like OMA to help fill the gaps in families’ weekly food provision.
This increase in food poverty is a result of food price inflation, rising energy costs and stagnated wages along with negligence on the part of the current government to address these issues faced by households most at risk in the UK.
New partnership with Donnington Doorstep
Thanks to funding from the Pye Charitable trust we have started a partnership with Donnington Doorstep. We are supporting 8 families with food parcels every 2 weeks, using Donnington Doorstep as a collection point. By partnering with Donnington Doorstep we have been able to facilitate these families in accessing our services by collecting the parcel from a safe space they are familiar with. The deliveries also enable them to access the wonderful family services Donnington Doorstep offer! If you would like to help by delivering 4 parcels weekly to Donnington Doorstep on Wednesday mornings get in touch at volunteering@oxfordmutualaid.org.
Ongoing fruit and veg shortages
This week we are in desperate need of:
We have included some links above but feel free to order or drop off to us anytime – we’re The Richard Benson Hall, 276 Cowley Road, OX4 1UR. Thank you!
Feedback
Every week your parcel saves my life. You have said for a long time the parcel will be smaller but its always more than I expect.
Many thanks for the wonderful food parcel. I particularly loved the beautiful daffodils…they really lift the spirits