We really can't believe it's October already and the nights are drawing in. Before too long the clocks will be going back and Halloween and Bonfire Night will be upon us. At Love North Southwark our minds have been focused on what we fear will be a tough winter ahead. We are now supporting around 55 households a week despite only being open three days a week. 

Like many people, we are deeply concerned about what the removal of the £20 Universal Credit uplift means for the families we support. Our whole approach is based on removing the stigma around poverty and restoring dignity to those who are struggling. The loss of £20 a week going into winter when food prices are rising is going to hurt many in our community. We are also reliant on food donations from Fareshare and these can be impacted by supply chain disruptions. 

Love North Southwark featured in the Southwark News last week, when our founder Kathy Heather met with local MP Neil Coyle. Kathy explained the impact the Universal Credit cut will have on our community. She also explained why we're keen to find funding for bigger and more permanent premises that will allow us to support more people. You can see a link to that article below:
 
 Bermondsey food bank wants bigger premises as Universal Credit drop promises 'tough winter ahead' - Southwark News 

We're really proud of what we've been able to achieve in really difficult times this past year and there's no way we could have done this without our volunteers, sponsors and supporters.  If there's anything you can do to help our vital work - whether through treasure, time or talent, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Thank you as always from the bottom of our hearts.

Kathy and all the team at Love North Southwark