Between a rock and a hard place: The work of food banks in Hampshire

Food banks are rapidly becoming part of the landscape of crisis support in communities across Britain. In 2014-15 the Trussell Trust, Britain’s main provider of emergency food aid, gave out enough food parcels to help more than one million people. Hampshire, despite containing some of the UK’s most affluent areas, has also experienced a remarkable rise in food bank provision and use. Food banks are not confined to deprived areas. There are now at least 20 food banks or similar projects in Hampshire, including some of the wealthiest parts of the county. They cover rural and urban locations, with a mix of projects affiliated to the Trussell Trust and independent schemes. This research, commissioned by the Bill Sargent Trust, covers 11 food banks across the county. We interviewed 19 food bank workers and volunteers, and 22 food bank users.