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02/10/2013 London MEP slams Government record on poverty ahead of visit to South London food bank
GREEN MEP Jean Lambert has slammed the government's record on poverty ahead of a visit to a food bank in Deptford this week.
Ms Lambert is due to visit the community-run 'We Care' New Cross and Deptford Food Bank on Friday.
Ahead of her visit she said:
"The 'We Care' Food Bank is a lifeline to the 500-or so families it helps but, at the same time, a stain on the government's record on poverty.
"I cannot praise the work of food bank volunteers enough, they are doing a great service to their community. But the fact is that nobody in the sixth largest economy in the world should be in such poverty that they rely on food handouts.
"Food banks are booming in response to austerity measures across Britain - and London is no exception.
"People in the capital have seen their wages stagnate, their benefits cut and their cost of living soar. The government must get a handle on things by increasing the minimum wage and ensuring people's access to social security is adequate to meet their needs."
The 'We Care' Food Bank was opened on New Cross Road last year by members of the local community shocked to find people living by collecting food from bins. It is not supported by the state - or any religious or political organisation.
In less than one year it has gone from helping 28 people to having over 1,000 regular 'clients'.
Co-founder Ray Woolford said: "Huge numbers of our those we help are disabled; many are victims of rising rents and the bedroom tax, many have small business and are not on welfare, but have no cash flow at all.
"We also have an advice centre to help with the huge volume of case work and appeals.
"We are looking forward to welcoming an MEP: we hope she will be able to use our project to raise awareness that our clients are not just smoking and watching TV all day: many are using candles, too scared to use gas or electricity they have no money to pay for."
ENDS
GREEN MEP Jean Lambert has slammed the government's record on poverty ahead of a visit to a food bank in Deptford this week.Ms Lambert is due to visit the community-run 'We Care' New Cross and Deptford Food Bank on Friday.
Ahead of her visit she said:
"The 'We Care' Food Bank is a lifeline to the 500-or so families it helps but, at the same time, a stain on the government's record on poverty.
"I cannot praise the work of food bank volunteers enough, they are doing a great service to their community. But the fact is that nobody in the sixth largest economy in the world should be in such poverty that they rely on food handouts.
"Food banks are booming in response to austerity measures across Britain - and London is no exception.
"People in the capital have seen their wages stagnate, their benefits cut and their cost of living soar. The government must get a handle on things by increasing the minimum wage and ensuring people's access to social security is adequate to meet their needs."
The 'We Care' Food Bank was opened on New Cross Road last year by members of the local community shocked to find people living by collecting food from bins. It is not supported by the state - or any religious or political organisation.
In less than one year it has gone from helping 28 people to having over 1,000 regular 'clients'.
Co-founder Ray Woolford said: "Huge numbers of our those we help are disabled; many are victims of rising rents and the bedroom tax, many have small business and are not on welfare, but have no cash flow at all.
"We also have an advice centre to help with the huge volume of case work and appeals.
"We are looking forward to welcoming an MEP: we hope she will be able to use our project to raise awareness that our clients are not just smoking and watching TV all day: many are using candles, too scared to use gas or electricity they have no money to pay for."
ENDS
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