Hungry This Winter

This winter will be tough for many people in Brighton & Hove. Poverty and food insecurity are on the rise as local people are faced with the double impact of reduced incomes and rising food, fuel and housing costs.

Over 5,800 adults and children are supported by the Emergency Food Network (EFN) in Brighton & Hove and the number of organisations providing emergency food has increased by over 75% since 2019.

Low incomes, unemployment and health conditions are the main reasons people access emergency food support. Winter is historically the hardest time of year for families’ pockets but this year with basic household costs rising faster than household incomes it will be exceptionally tough.

Additionally, The Department for Work and Pensions estimate 33,000 people in Brighton and Hove have been affected by the £20 a week reduction to Universal Credit, pushing people to choose between heating or eating.

As we did during lockdown, we need to continue to ensure the most affected are not left hungry this winter and members of the EFN need your help to provide people with food parcels and cooked meals.

Thanks to the amazing goodwill of local people, we raised over £25,000 in our Crowdfunder last winter, all of which was spent on essentials for people in need.

'Their help is the lifeline I needed during these hard times. I used to go days without food but now I eat regularly.' Food parcel recipient 

 We know there are still a lot of people needing emergency food this year, and we are asking you to help by either donating or helping spread the word.

Why we need your donation

• Food banks and community meals will struggle to meet the increased demand for support this winter and need ongoing funding to ensure that vulnerable people and families can be fed.
• The supply of surplus food has dropped considerably and groups are having to purchase extra food and essentials to plug the gap.
• The cost of many food items has increased, reducing the number of people that can be supported on current budgets.

Get involved

• Please share the campaign on your social media using #HungryThisWinter and @btnhovefood. This is a proven way to increase donations.
• Find out more about donating time, money or food to local projects on our blog.
• If you want to keep up-to-date on the campaign and other food news in the city, then sign-up to our fortnightly email newsletter.
• If you or someone you know is need of support with food or money issues, please contact the Brighton and Hove City Council Helpline on 01273 293117.

Thank you, from all the team at Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and our partners!

All funds raised on this page will be split between these organisations.

Brighton Food Bank – supporting people with emergency food in central Brighton 

Food & Friendship - supporting isolated older people and adults with learning disabilities by offering a friendly place to socialise at low-cost lunch clubs

Moulsecoomb Community Market - a social supermarket providing people with access to healthy, fresh and affordable food

Weald Community Food Centre - distributes food, community support and horticultural knowledge on the basis that anybody can put food in, anybody can take food out

Brighton Women’s Centre - the food bank at BWC is a women only, trauma informed space where women can self-refer then access food support for as long as they need to

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership – distribution hub – buying in bulk food & toiletries to distribute to food banks

Phoenix Food Hub - providing emergency food parcels & membership food club

Lunch Positive - delivering cooked meals and groceries for people living with or affected by HIV

Mutual Aid Vegan Food Bank - a non-profit project providing free vegan food and supplies to anyone in need

BMECP - The Black & Minority Ethnic Community Partnership provides emergency food parcels for people in crisis who live in Brighton and Hove

Bevendean Foodbank, Coffee Morning and Advice Centre – offering a friendly and supportive service for local residents.

The Old Boat Corner Community Pantry - a pay as you feel service running every day for a wide variety of people in the community that are in need of an extra support

Salvation Army Hove - providing assistance to people in Hove & Portslade through food provision and a job search club

Voices in Exile - a food bank for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with no recourse to public funds

Chomp - provides food boxes and free lunch and activity clubs to families across the city where children receive free school meals

St Anne’s Centre - provides hot meals and support to homeless and isolated people in Brighton and Hove

CASE - supports people on low income in Hollingdean and city-wide with food, clothing, Welfare Rights Advice and other services