THE POST Office has officially launched its new campaign supporting foodbanks and featuring an Andover postmaster.

As previously reported, the Post Office has partnered with anti-poverty charity, the Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of over 1,300 food bank centres.

Last year, food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network provided over 2.5m emergency food parcels to people in crisis, with nearly a million of these for children.

Until the March 31, anyone who uses cash withdrawal services over the counter at Post Office can help to make a big difference to individuals and families who may be facing very difficult decisions, like switching on the heating or putting food on the table.

As customers come to Post Office to manage their household finances and pay their bills, the business is donating 1p for every cash withdrawal made in any of its 11,500 branches, to the Trussell Trust, in a bid to raise £250,000.

Laura Joseph, customer experience director at Post Office, said: “We’re proud to partner with the Trussell Trust – hunger and poverty in the UK is a very real issue that we all need to come together to tackle head on, especially in these unprecedented times.

“Millions of people will be paying bills over the counter at their local Post Office in the coming months and many of these customers may be facing very difficult financial decisions and need support from organisations like the Trussell Trust.”

Latest research by Post Office reveals two in five people had to make the decision between buying food versus other household bills such as heating, with food price increases (61%) and rise in energy bills (71%) given as key reasons for this. Worryingly 41% of this group have gone without food to feed other members of their family at some point over the last 12 months.

READ MORE: Village postmaster to be face of new Post Office campaign with Trussell Trust

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, added: “Over the last five years, we have seen more and more people struggling to afford the essentials – such as food and clothing – for their families. Figures from our food bank network reveal more than 5,100 emergency food parcels were provided for people every day from April to September last year, and with the looming cost of living crisis, need for food banks looks set to increase.

“Our new partnership means that just by withdrawing cash at your local Post Office branch, you will be helping us support families who are having to make impossible decisions between heating and eating this winter, while supporting our work to end the need for food banks in the UK, for good.’’

The campaign includes a video, in which Leslie Francis, postmaster at Enham Post Office near Andover, represents the company and explains how the partnership will work.

Speaking previously to the Advertiser, she said: “I am privileged to be the face of that. Thank you, to my customers, for their support.

“And I must say what a marvellous job the foodbank do!”

Jenny LeLean, manager of Andover foodbank, added:“We were delighted to have the opportunity to participate with Leslie and the Post Office in this campaign and support the wider work of the Trussell Trust who are determined to help end the need for foodbanks in the UK.”

Leslie features in a Youtube video promoting the cause, with the Post Office saying more information about the campaign will be available early next month. You can view the video here: https://youtu.be/we5PcaVyu9Y

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