The Greater Manchester Food Poverty Alliance was launched at a packed Methodist Central Hall earlier this week.
Individuals with their own experiences of food poverty and representatives from churches, charities and businesses, all came together with one aim – fighting food poverty in Greater Manchester.
The meeting heard from Bishop John Arnold who will chair one of the alliance’s groups.
He said – “Food poverty is a scandal that reflects on all of us. Working together we can make a difference to Greater Manchester. “
He went on to thank all those already involved in making a difference but added that a city region like Greater Manchester should not need to have over 170 food banks.
The aim of the alliance is to bring together the work of groups already on the ground and expand on the role of the public sector to tackle some of the issues around food poverty.
The joint strategic action will produce a Food Poverty Action Plan for Greater Manchester that will aim to reduce and prevent food poverty and support communities to plan and adapt to the challenge of food poverty.
They will also address structural issues that underlie food poverty, such as the benefits system and precarious and low-paid employment
The alliance is asking people who have lived experience of food poverty to get involved.
Tom Skinner, director at Greater Manchester Poverty Action, who are behind the alliance, said: “This alliance will have a place for people from all walks of life, from all across Greater Manchester. The Alliance, and the action plan, will be stronger if co-produced with people who are living with the experience of food poverty.
We are asking all those present, if all of Greater Manchester were behind the alliance, what could we achieve? That is our starting point.”
If you would like to support the alliance please email Greater Manchester Poverty Action. The action plan should launch in February 2019.
