Survey shows increased signs of poor diet and malnutrition despite record distribution by foodbanks across Borough of Barnet

An all-day conference to discuss the challenges facing the 22 foodbanks across the London Borough of Barnet issued a warning of “serious concern” about levels of malnutrition among local people seeking support.

Chipping Barnet Foodbank is one of six in the borough being surveyed in a study being conducted by University College London.

It showed that the dietary intake of a majority of clients who took part in the survey fell consistently below the daily average for the UK population.

Staff and volunteers at Chipping Barnet Foodbank played a leading role in organising the conference.

Bob Bevil, Chipping Barnet’s campaign and advocacy lead (see above) welcomed representatives to discuss how to tackle what he said was the borough’s spiralling crisis in food insecurity.

Last year Barnet’s 22 recognised foodbanks issued a record number of 153,000 food parcels. Current projections show this will be significantly higher in 2024.

“Here in Chipping Barnet the graph shows steadily rising demand since our foodbank started in the New Barnet Salvation Army Hall in 2012,” said Mr Bevil.

“We are here today to discuss progressive solutions.” 

Dan Tomlinson, Chipping Barnet MP – seen above with Victoria Miller, foodbank manager, and Bob Bevil – officially opened the conference which was held in the school hall at the new Ark Pioneer Academy in Underhill.

He congratulated the Barnet Food Partnership for all it was doing to help co-ordinate and support the distribution of food parcels for those in need.

Food insecurity was a personal matter because he had grown up knowing poverty, living in temporary accommodation and needing free school meals.

“I know families now in a similar position here in the constituency but when my family faced the same food insecurity, we had genuinely affordable housing and public services which were being invested in.”

Mr Tomlinson recognised the scale of the challenge: last year three million food parcels were distributed nationally by food banks supported by the Trussell Trust, up from 600,000 in 2010.

“I hope the Barnet Food Partnership can be a pioneer – like the pioneering work of the Trussell Trust and the Resolution Foundation.

“I am a firm friend. I can speak on your behalf.”

Professor Nathan Davies, director of education at UCL, presented details of the survey which students at the university have been conducting for the last three years and which involves a total of 260 clients at six of Barnet’s foodbanks.

The aim is to assess the nutritional quality of their diet. Only a small proportion made it into the category of those with a good diet; most had either a moderate or poor diet.

“Half of all the clients fell below the line and a majority were below the national average which is of serious concern.

“There was a decline across all groups in hitting the target of five portions a day of fruit and vegetables. This all points to malnutrition.

“We found that the level of food insecurity has increased over the last three years.

“Younger people among the clients are finding this more challenging than those who are older and marginally better off.

“We have seen an increasing number who are employed but on low income. Another issue that has crept in is debt and benefit payment delays.”

Professor Davies’ conclusion was that the diet of those surveyed was “consistently below the average for the UK population” and that their food intake was “insufficient to meet the needs for normal health”.

Another speaker at the conference, Andrew Forsey, national director of the charity Feeding Britain, congratulated Barnet Food Partnership for its initiative in providing a platform to discuss how to develop anti-hunger initiatives.

Feeding Britain was established ten years ago by an all-party parliamentary group led by MPs such as Frank Field and John Glen and their role was to share ideas on how to unlock resources to fight food insecurity.  

One of the borough-wide setbacks mentioned at the conference was the closure in September of the Barnet Food Hub distribution point at the former East Barnet Library following Barnet Council’s withdrawal of funding.

As a temporary measure the Volunteers of Wheels group has stepped in to collect surplus food from the Felix Project and deliver it to the foodbanks.

Kat Carr, lead officer in Barnet Council’s public health team on the borough’s food plan and healthy eating, said that attempts were being made to secure additional funding so that distribution of surplus food supplies could continue in the New Year.

In his welcome at the start of the conference Bob Bevil thanked Councillor Simon Radford, a governor at Ark Pioneer Academy, and the school’s principal Su Reddy for allowing the use of the new building for a community event.