Foodbank volunteers pick up ‘Haringey Heroes’ awards

Two Tottenham Food Hub volunteers have received ‘Haringey Heroes’ certificates for helping people struggling with food poverty and homelessness during the pandemic.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, foodbank manager Susan Jarrett and elder Claudette Young offered both food and friendship to those negatively affected in Northumberland Park, helping them to recover.

By volunteering their time, energy and skills, Susan and Claudette helped Tottenham Food Hub deliver its social mission of touching the lives of the unemployed and rough sleepers in a relational way, through food and conversation.

Northumberland Park ward, where the foodbank is based, has the highest unemployment rate in London, with 17% of working age residents recorded as being without a job in November 2020.

Tottenham Food Hub bridges that gap, by stepping in to help local residents struggling with unemployment and to help realise their potential.

Reverend Jason Young, pastor of Gospel Temple Apostolic Church, which runs the foodbank, said: “One impact that our work has had on the local community is reducing levels of food poverty and increasing access to employment opportunities.

“Our work has touched the hearts of many people across the local community because if we were not there many would have starved and some would have been homeless.

“Unemployment is damaging to the mental wellbeing of service-users. Hopefully we can get everyone back into employment or self-employment.”