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Recent data published by the National Union of Students shows that TWO THIRDS of students are experiencing food insecurity.
A recent NUS survey has found that 17% of students used foodbanks in the 2023/24 academic year, compared to 7% in 2021/22. This is predicted to continue to increase due to the cost of living crisis.
On 6 September 2023, Save the Student published the results of the National Student Money Survey 2023. 64% said they skip meals at least some of the time to save money. Broken down, this includes 22% who said they often skip meals, while a further 42% sometimes do.
The lack of support leaves too many students at risk of deprivation – in what are supposed to be the best years of their lives. Malnutrition and food insecurity don’t just affect students in the moment; they can lead to long-term health issues, reduced academic performance, and increased dropout rates.
The student union has attempted to tackle the food insecurity crisis through the Community Pantry. This Guild-run initiative supports those in crisis by providing a free one off food parcel to those who need to access this service. However, this ignores the reality that many students are forced to rely on food banks consistently. The food insecurity crisis isn’t a one off situation, and many students live in constant financial crisis, which is detrimental to their wellbeing and education. Currently, the Community Pantry only offers a one off parcel, explicitly stating that the parcels are not designed to meet long-term needs. This leaves the most vulnerable students in our community without support. Additionally, many food banks require referrals before you are allowed to use them, which creates further barriers for students who are often facing urgent needs, financial and exam stress, and mental health challenges. The Guild Community Pantry also requires you to submit a form and evidence before you are allocated a date for when you can come and collect your food parcel. The ideal solution would be something students could access long-term and immediately, with reduced barriers.
If a permanent, open to all food bank isn’t feasible at the moment, the Guild could start by running a community fridge. Community fridges are spaces where local communities can share food. This includes excess supplies from supermarkets, restaurants or households. As community fridges aim to reduce food waste, you often find fresher produce there, such as fruit and vegetables. This is in contrast to local food banks, where a parcel will often include dried and tinned products. The charity Hubbub coordinates over 600 community fridges in the UK. However, the closest community fridges are a few miles away from campus.
During the encampment for Palestine on the Green Heart, the community and local businesses came together to offer free hot meals for students- lunch and dinner- for 9 full weeks. Local businesses would sometimes offer as much as 50 portions of hot food. This demonstrates the feasibility of a sustainable, collaborative food assistance programme on campus. A well thought-out strategy and partnership plan between the Guild and local businesses has potential to result in the establishment of a permanent food bank on campus, or at least a community fridge for the time being. The campus canteens and vendors could also donate excess food, instead of throwing it away.
A 2023 report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) titled “How to Beat a Cost of Learning Crisis: Universities’ Support for Students” found that 27% of universities now have food banks, including one third (33%) of Russell Group universities. It highlights one of higher education’s greatest challenges: inequality of access, participation and achievement. This challenge is exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, inadequate maintenance grants and lack of policy intervention.
The Guild Community Pantry is running a Breakfast Club every Wednesday morning this term. I believe this initiative should be running daily. The Breakfast Club is an excellent idea, since breakfast is often the first meal to go when students face increased pressure. Studies show that starting your day with a healthy breakfast is key to boosting academic performance. A nutritious breakfast contributes to improved readiness to learn, increased concentration, and improved mental well-being throughout the rest of the day. The University of Birmingham’s Access to Participation Plan states that there is currently a degree awarding gap (1st and 2.1) of 17.3% for students from disadvantaged backgrounds (IMD Quintile 1). The University aims to reduce this to 8.7% by 2029. Working with local businesses to establish a permanent, daily breakfast club would help remove some financial stress from vulnerable students and let them get on with their studies.