Bedford Borough Council Awards £23,000 Grant to Bedford Foodbank

Bedford Borough Council has awarded a grant of £23,000 to Bedford Foodbank to help families struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding is part of a range of measures that the council is putting in place to provide emergency assistance to residents in urgent need who are struggling to afford food and essentials due to COVID-19. It follows the work of the council's community hub which was set up at the start of the 'lockdown' period and helped 9,000 residents with requests including food parcels and help with shopping.

Bedford Foodbank provide emergency food and support to local people as part of the nationwide network of foodbanks. The funding will help the charity in providing continued to support to those in urgent need and is provided through the Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant for Food and Essential Supplies provided to local authorities by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance at Bedford Borough Council said: "We're really pleased to be able to support Bedford Foodbank in its work to help those most in need locally. We hope this funding will be able to make a real difference to the lives of those struggling with the economic impact of COVID-19."

Sarah Broughton, Project Manager for Bedford Foodbank, said, "Bedford Foodbank is delighted to receive this funding from Bedford Borough. This money will enable us to continue supporting households who are experiencing food poverty due to the pandemic, providing non-perishable food, toiletries and cleaning products."