Union opens food bank for students in poverty

UEA Student Union are opening food banks for students and residents of Norwich.

The Union has announced that it will be setting up a food bank programme to help students living in poverty.

FoodbankSU, which opens today, will be collecting donations of food and money in the shop.

The donations will be split between the UEA food bank and Norwich foodbanks in the city.

The Union will also be actively running a donation drive in the city later this year.

The service is being set up in a big to tackle student poverty and is part of their Cost of Living Campaign.

Commenting on the launch of FoodbankSU, Postgraduate Education Officer Liam McCafferty said: “Student poverty is a real issue – casework through our advice service tells us that flat lining student maintenance support, the rising cost of living and sky high accommodation prices are forcing some UEA students into impossible situations and dangerous pay day debt.

“Our FoodbankSU project, which will also help residents in Norwich, has two aims- to provide relief for those facing poverty on campus and in the community, and to highlight the disgusting situation that students and local residents hit by austerity face to policy makers”

Those looking to use the foodbank will need to book an appointment with the SU Advice Centre or the Dean of Students.

You’ll then be able to pick up your food parcel from the Grab ‘n Go.