A group of mothers have entered their fifth and final day without food outside the Houses of Parliament. Members of food insecurity Mother’s Manifesto say they are hunger striking in solidarity with those struggling to feed their children.
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Food bank owner and Mother’s Manifesto member Chantelle Norton told City News that she is beginning to feel brain fog and fatigue after four days without food. Regardless, she believes in her cause.
“I’m choosing to do this in solidarity with my clients who don’t know when the end is in sight,” she says. “Things have gotten so much worse over the last year or two, it’s really difficult.“
Chantelle serves those who are dependent upon food bank services in the current economic climate and stresses the variety of people coming in.
“Often the people that struggle the most are the people that suddenly have a cancer diagnosis, or they lose their job, or their spouse dies and they’re left to raise children on their own,” she says.
Over half of the families we help have someone disabled or with a serious illness in the house.“
Mother’s Manifesto is a group formed of a variety of campaigners who teach the public of demands ranging from climate to food insecurity. CREDIT: BONYA KLEYMAN/CITY NEWS
“A compassionate and caring society would make sure these people are scooped up and cared for.”
Rosie, a mother to a four-year-old from Tottenham, is striking alongside Chantelle and remains determined to make sure the voices calling for change are heard.
“We decided to come together as a group of mothers to amplify the voices of and stand in solidarity with mothers who are struggling to feed their kids,” she says.
“The more we amplify voices, then the more pressure there will be upon the government, whatever colour it is.“
This week, the London Assembly’s Economy Committee released statistics showing that one in three children are growing up in relative poverty in the capital.
Despite being one of the wealthiest cities in the world, London is home to three of the ten local authorities found to have the highest child poverty rates in the UK.
Asha Summery, who volunteers at a food bank in Islington, told City News that food poverty is a “ political issue”.
“The money that we have doesn’t go as far anymore so there’s people that have two jobs or households reliant on universal credit.
“Even that amount isn’t enough to meet the needs of a human-being.”
The Ark food bank in Islington can only provide 120 meals a week, as their waiting list gets longer and longer. CREDIT: BONYA KLEYMAN/CITY NEWS
Asha’s explained that people that use the food bank come from all walks of life.
“Our referral process is quire unique because it has no criteria other than location, borough-wide in Islington,” she explained.
“Most of our clients work really hard and a lot of them have two jobs,” she says. “Alongside sudden loss of income, another reason for using a food bank is insufficient income to meet needs.”
The Economy Committee delivered nine recommendations to the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. These included expansion of free school meals, a bespoke child poverty strategy, and enforcing the London Living Wage.
Sadiq Khan said: “I will continue to do all I can to help families cope with the cost-of-living crisis as we build a fairer and more prosperous London for all.”
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HeadlineMothers’ hunger strike reaches fifth and final day
Short HeadlineMothers' hunger strike reaches final day
StandfirstCampaigners from the group Mother's Manifesto say they want to highlight food shortages and malnutrition.
A group of mothers have entered their fifth and final day without food outside the Houses of Parliament. Members of food insecurity Mother’s Manifesto say they are hunger striking in solidarity with those struggling to feed their children.
Listen to this article powered by AI
Food bank owner and Mother’s Manifesto member Chantelle Norton told City News that she is beginning to feel brain fog and fatigue after four days without food. Regardless, she believes in her cause.
“I’m choosing to do this in solidarity with my clients who don’t know when the end is in sight,” she says. “Things have gotten so much worse over the last year or two, it’s really difficult.“
Chantelle serves those who are dependent upon food bank services in the current economic climate and stresses the variety of people coming in.
“Often the people that struggle the most are the people that suddenly have a cancer diagnosis, or they lose their job, or their spouse dies and they’re left to raise children on their own,” she says.
Over half of the families we help have someone disabled or with a serious illness in the house.“
Mother’s Manifesto is a group formed of a variety of campaigners who teach the public of demands ranging from climate to food insecurity. CREDIT: BONYA KLEYMAN/CITY NEWS
“A compassionate and caring society would make sure these people are scooped up and cared for.”
Rosie, a mother to a four-year-old from Tottenham, is striking alongside Chantelle and remains determined to make sure the voices calling for change are heard.
“We decided to come together as a group of mothers to amplify the voices of and stand in solidarity with mothers who are struggling to feed their kids,” she says.
“The more we amplify voices, then the more pressure there will be upon the government, whatever colour it is.“
This week, the London Assembly’s Economy Committee released statistics showing that one in three children are growing up in relative poverty in the capital.
Despite being one of the wealthiest cities in the world, London is home to three of the ten local authorities found to have the highest child poverty rates in the UK.
Asha Summery, who volunteers at a food bank in Islington, told City News that food poverty is a “ political issue”.
“The money that we have doesn’t go as far anymore so there’s people that have two jobs or households reliant on universal credit.
“Even that amount isn’t enough to meet the needs of a human-being.”
The Ark food bank in Islington can only provide 120 meals a week, as their waiting list gets longer and longer. CREDIT: BONYA KLEYMAN/CITY NEWS
Asha’s explained that people that use the food bank come from all walks of life.
“Our referral process is quire unique because it has no criteria other than location, borough-wide in Islington,” she explained.
“Most of our clients work really hard and a lot of them have two jobs,” she says. “Alongside sudden loss of income, another reason for using a food bank is insufficient income to meet needs.”
The Economy Committee delivered nine recommendations to the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. These included expansion of free school meals, a bespoke child poverty strategy, and enforcing the London Living Wage.
Sadiq Khan said: “I will continue to do all I can to help families cope with the cost-of-living crisis as we build a fairer and more prosperous London for all.”
