UK Food Banks
What is a food bank?
A food bank is a scheme initiated by non-profit organisations, like Hands for Humanity, to provide for those who can no longer afford basic nourishment, i.e. impoverished families. A food voucher, normally provided by your local health visitor or health care professional is presented to the food bank to help identify the families in need. Destitution can hit anyone at any time. A family can experience a sudden bereavement, the rising cost of day to day living and most commonly an unexpected redundancy. Studies show it is mainly middle aged, working class families living in rented accommodation that use food banks, especially in winter where they are faced with the decision of keeping warm or eating. These families can turn to food banks as a means of not missing a meal and in extreme cases, sleeping hungry and rough.
Over a million people were given 3 day emergency food supplies (figure from the Trussel Trust), and this is just in the UK, between 2016 and 2017. With rising costs, sudden unemployment and benefit caps, and this figure is only going to go up.
What’s H4H doing?
H4H has teamed up with The Peace Centre in order to make a difference in our community. We collect non-perishables, e.g. tinned veg, pasta, soup, rice, and flour, to deliver to our local food bank. Supplies can get low, especially in winter, so we couldn’t carry this on without your support.
Thank you for helping us to ensure our local residents won’t go hungry.
You can help by donating food or by donating as little as £30 to help us gather together a food pack. Donate NOW!
Each food pack that we get together, with your help, provides balanced meals for up to 4 days and longer. They contain:
- Cereal or cereal bars
- Instant Soup & Noodles
- Pasta
- Rice
- Pasta sauce
- Sugar
- Pasta Sauce
- Tinned tuna/fish
- Tinned vegetables
- Tea/coffee
- Tinned fruit
- Biscuits
Food donations we collect:
- UHT Milk
- Tinned Beans (Kidney, baked etc)
- Cereal
- Pasta
- Rice
- Tea/coffee
- Pasta Sauces
- Curry Sauces
- Cereal Bars
- Tomatoes
- Oil
- Sugar
- Instant soups & Noodles
- Instant Pasta & Instant Rice
- Tinned foods (No Chick Peas)
- Mixed Vegetables
- Tinned Peas/ sweet corn
- Carrots/potatoes
- Tinned Tuna/fish
- Soup
Non-food donations
Toiletries – deodorant, toilet paper, shower gel, shaving gel, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and hand wipes
Household items – laundry liquid detergent, laundry powder and washing-up liquid
Feminine hygiene – sanitary towels and tampons
Baby supplies – nappies, baby wipes and baby food (Please note, as per advice from UNICEF we are unable to provide formula milk).
UK Help the Homeless
There were 36 cases of reported homelessness in Leicester. That is based on the council’s findings. A study by Professor Jo Richardson (Prof. of Housing & Social Research at DeMontfort University) found that in November 2017 there were 93 homeless people surveyed. When asked where they slept, the majority answered ‘outdoors.’ 40% replied that their homelessness had followed a traumatic event.
H4H has paired up with trusted organisations to not only provide a warm cuppa and a safe place to sleep but going beyond that. We want to remove the stigma attached to homelessness and get these vulnerable individuals to continue to live normal lives, away from the risk of begging and (in extreme cases) substance abuse. We believe in longer-term solutions to help break the cycle of poverty. And when a vulnerable individual reaches out to us, we want them to leave with dignity, hope and aspirations for a better future.
What is H4H doing?
We’ve got an Emergency Survival kit and with just £45.00 each winter, this is what the kit provides:
- Sleeping bag
- Blanket
- Shampoo
- Body wash
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Sanitary towels
- Nail clipper
- Comb/brush
- Camping gas stove
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Deodorant
- Tissue rolls
- Local support guide
- Thermal socks
- Hats/gloves
This is just our seasonal survival kit. We’re collaborating with other organisations to give those in difficult circumstances their independence. Our skilled volunteers, staff, and our partnered organisations, guarantee to provide advice and resources to help tackle and prevent homelessness in the long run. So next time you pass a homeless individual, don’t judge their circumstance. Reach out to us. As little as £5 a month can help make a difference.
UK Recycling
According to the Guardian’s recent report, 235 million articles of clothing were sent to landfill in April 2017. Now, when getting rid of anything ask yourself the following.
Can it be used by yourself or anyone in your household? The general rule is that anything you haven’t used in six months, be it clothing, electrics, bric a brac etc. will not be needed again. But see if anyone else has a use for it. There are a lot of platforms where you can put toys and household goods that are in decent condition up for sale. Facebook is a good place to start.
If it’s in good condition donate it to H4H. Our charity shop sort through your valued donations and we put them at incredibly low prices at our charity shop. This helps the community. Your donations go a very long way. Any unwanted textiles are sold to an approved buyer per tonne. Again, the funds raised go straight to our appeals. Believe it or not, if every household recycled every piece of clothing, the landfill would be reduced by a whopping 30%. Imagine the money you’d help raise whilst helping the environment. Let’s work together and reduce our carbon footprint whilst increasing the help we give to people.
We welcome donations of the following:
- Paired shoes / trainers
- Handbags / Jewellery /Belts
- Perfumes & Toiletries (new only)
- Children’s toys & Books
- All types of good quality furniture
- Kitchenware & Electrical items
We’d love to help you if you can’t get to our drop-off point. Call us on 0300 1240 260 and our volunteers will collect your donations. Alternatively, drop off your donations at the following drop-off point:
Your local drop-off point:
ANO Charity Shop:
99 Netherhall Road
Leicester
LE5 1DR
UK Community Boxing Club
Our charity aims to help the disadvantaged pursue a healthier lifestyle. We know that there are areas in which gang culture, substance abuse, and poverty are rife. We’d like to give individuals of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to participate in a healthy, active fitness sport. And what better way to engage in a healthier lifestyle than BOXING and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
BENEFITS OF BOXING
Exercise – it literally is the best form of exercise as it requires stamina and strength. Other forms of exercise such as basketball, football etc. are great but stamina is a secondary requirement as there are substitutions and stoppages in play.
Self-defense – violence against teens by other teens, especially girls, is rising. Teaching your child a form of self-defense does wonders for their self-esteem and will reduce the chances of a repeat episode of bullying.
Stress relief boxing is an excellent form of aggression control for both adults and kids. Kids, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have a lot of environment related emotions to deal with. MMA and boxing gives relief to these emotions in a positive way.
Strength boxing increases overall bone strength which promotes bone growth, weight loss, and general healthier being. The more muscle and strength your child or even you have, the healthier you’ll be.
Hobby takes a child away from their video game, iPad, or TV addiction and encourages being active. Improve their hand eye coordination, stamina, and strength and promote healthier appetites.
Discipline In order to be a good boxer a person must control their emotions and exercise discipline over their moves.
H4H has teamed up with Cuba Gym to fund the local residents by channeling their energy in a positive way.
What can you do to help?
You can help us by donating:
£5 funds one boxing/fitness session.
£30.00 sponsors a person for a month
£360.00 is the annual membership cost.
Donate now to sponsor our fitness program for as little as £5 per month