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05 April 2013

Nationwide ‘Trolley Push’ to help stop UK hunger

Bob Girvan - Cornwall trolley pushTowns and villages across the UK are joining in a nationwide trolley push to prevent neighbours and locals from going hungry. ‘Phil’ the trolley will travel over 3,000 miles around the UK during April and May as part of the first ever Foodbank Trolley Push.

The five-week venture will see people from across the UK raising funds and awareness for the work of Trussell Trust and to enable desperately-needed foodbanks to spring up in new areas.

Starting in Salisbury, where the Trussell Trust was founded in 1997, ‘Phil’ the trolley will visit 50 foodbank locations from Cornwall to Wales, the Midlands to Merseyside, Scotland to Tyneside, Norfolk to London, Isle of Wight and return to Salisbury.

One in five people in the UK live below the poverty line. Every day people are going hungry nationwide. Last year Trussell Trust foodbanks provided three days of emergency food to 128,697 people in crisis, one third of which were children. Hunger is still a hidden issue. As growing numbers of people turn to foodbanks for emergency food, it is hoped that more people will become aware of the problem.

Other related fundraising methods include giving up lunch, filling a trolley at the office and asking people to guess the cost of contents or even get a haircut for hunger.

Cornwall

This week, Phil the trolley's Cornish cousin is making a special outing ahead of next week's Trolley Push...

Monday, 1 April, Bob Girvan and his brilliant support team began an epic journey to push a trolley from Lands End to Launceston. They set off from a very blustery Land’s End, headed towards Marazion and St Michael’s Mount and are on schedule to reach Launceston on Monday.

Out on the open road Bob has been amazed to see cars pull over ahead of him and stop to make donations.

North Bristol

The Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson will be pushing the trolley as part of the north Bristol leg of the journey on Tuesday, 9 April, at 1pm.

Foodbank volunteers and community members will see the trolley on its way along Gloucester Road from Horfield Baptist Church, passing local businesses that have collected food (in partnership with Bishopston Matters community magazine).

Foodbank trolley pusher Kerry from Bishopston Matters said: "As more people turn to the foodbank for help, we’re hoping that the public will come and support our exciting new trolley push venture to help us meet the growing local need – hope to see you there!"

Local people living across north Bristol have been starting to raise funds for their local foodbank - local businesses, churches and schools working together to combat hunger in the local community. All food given out is donated by local people and in the last seven months North Bristol Foodbank have provided emergency food to more than 600 people. www.northbristol.foodbank.org.uk

Check out what’s planned around the Trolley Push route across the country by visiting www.trusselltrust.org/trolleypush Follow Phil the trolley’s route at #trolleypush