Preston City Council supports almost 50 community projects through Household Support Fund

A food hub in Preston. Pic: Preston City Council

Preston City Council has supported almost 50 community projects through its Household Support Fund.

The fund aims to provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need, helping with the cost of essentials.

As well as helping families and individuals, the council has supported 47 community projects, providing an average of 1,880 food parcels per week.

The council has helped six food banks, 15 hot meal providers, four food pantries and 22 holiday markets.

Erin Singleton is the founder of Blue Flamingo Community Hub which provides meals for its members. They rely on initiatives like the Household Support Fund.

She said: “It’s huge for us. Although we are a community interest company, we run very much like a charity. So, everything that we get is through donations, we don’t charge people at the door to access our services, and we feel very strongly about that and will always be a donations-led institution.

“We rely heavily on any kind of grant money and support from the local community to make contributions, to provide what we do.”

Ruby Abram who runs Ashton Food Hub, a community project that originally started out from her spare bedroom also seconded how important the support fund is. It allows the team to buy extra items and offer a better variety of food.

Ruby Abram, who runs the food bank, with volunteers at the hub.

Preston City Council is also providing a wraparound support offer to all food banks and pantries in receipt of the Household Support Fund grants.

First aid, risk assessment and safeguarding training courses have already been delivered, including ‘drop in’ debt advice, financial inclusion sessions and work clubs for those accessing the food banks and food pantries.

Councillor Khan, Cabinet Member for Communities and Social Justice said: “Help in the community in the form of food hubs and social projects are incredibly necessary and essential to help community projects such as, the Ashton Food Hub and Blue Flamingo Community Hub.

“It’s important that groups and community hubs access the Household Support Fund so they in turn can help those in need in a supportive and proactive way.”

The deadline for applying for the scheme is Monday 30 September but it is subject to change if the scheme runs out of funds. You can find out if you are eligible here.

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