A critical food bank in Blackpool, which provides 17,000 meals a week to the UK's most deprived local authority, has issued a desperate appeal as it faces being shut down in a 'matter of months', its chief executive has said.
The Blackpool Big Food Project has been a community lifeline since it began as a small initiative in 2012. Over nearly 15 years, it has become a major collaborative effort feeding people across Blackpool, Fylde, and Wyre, distributing hundreds of tonnes of food and offering financial wellbeing advice.
Chief executive Claire Powell highlighted the intense looming difficulties Christmas brings for both the charity and local families. She said many families are not thinking about affording gifts but about how to afford to feed their children. The project has launched two initiatives: Festive Feed, seeking public donations for meals, and 26 for 26, targeting businesses.
The project hands out thousands of crisis parcels to families in dire need, usually accessed via support workers. In 2025, it is already on track to exceed 5,000 parcels by the end of the financial year, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Powell said the project faces 'significant and critical financial challenges' and without it, the community would suffer a 'significant loss'. The ultimate goal is to combat food insecurity to the point where the food bank is no longer needed, allowing the focus to shift to financial advice.
