“It was 2020 and my son Isaac had been really inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford and his campaign to tackle holiday hunger. As a family, we’d always supported the local food bank, but because of Covid they weren’t accepting donations.
When Isaac realised he couldn’t donate, he was really upset. A couple of days later he said: “I’ve decided we can just give everybody free food at our house instead.”
At the time, he’d just broken his arm. To cheer him up after a hospital appointment, we took £40 to Aldi to fill up a trolley. Back home, he filled an old pop up greenhouse with the food and put it on the driveway.
The next day, when we got home from school, there was a young girl looking. Once she’d left, Isaac came racing downstairs to see what she’d chosen. It was a single tampon. What stuck with him was how happy she looked as she walked away.
People should be able to choose the food they need
I assumed that it would be a short-lived project and Isaac would move onto the next thing. He didn’t. He wanted to keep going.
The greenhouse was falling apart, so we replaced it with a small shed. Then a bigger shed. Then an even bigger one. Another family approached us and ask whether they could have a shed on their driveway too. From there, the community really got behind us.
Today, we have six sites across Redditch. If you’re a struggling family, there’s generally one within walking distance.
They’re set out like small shops because people should have the dignity of choosing their own food. Pre-packed food parcels don’t always work. They might not meet dietary requirements, cultural needs or simply don’t contain the foods your children will eat.
People are struggling through no fault of their own
One of the biggest misconceptions is that people can simply work harder or make different choices so they don’t need food banks. The reality is that many people are struggling through no fault of their own.
Some are working two jobs and still can’t make ends meet. Others are living with disabilities that prevent them from working. Some are retired and have no way of increasing their income. This isn’t right.
Reporters were suddenly on the driveway
Of course, there have been challenges along the way. A few years after we started, we were broken into. We checked the CCTV and saw someone wearing a terrifying Halloween mask.
I shared the footage on social media, just to see if anyone in the local area had any information. The person was quickly identified and the police dealt with it. What I didn’t expect was the media attention that followed.
I was at a meeting when my partner kept ringing me. He said, ‘There are reporters on the driveway’. We were making the headlines. We did interviews with our local media as well as going on national programmes like ITV’s This Morning.
I want to communicate our message more effectively
Over the years we’ve had opportunities to appear in the media like Good Morning Britain, BBC, Channel 5 and we even took part in Rich Kids Go Skint.
I’ve always found media work quite daunting. I’m a fairly private person and having cameras suddenly in your house and reporters asking questions is a lot to get used to.
That’s one of the reasons I’ve joined the Spokesperson Leadership Programme. I’m looking forward to learning how to communicate our message more effectively and gaining confidence in sharing our story.
Ultimately, I want to get the message out there that people deserve choice and dignity when receiving food support.
It’s been incredible watching Isaac grow in confidence
Isaac was born with a rare chromosome disorder and has a moderate learning disability, dyslexia and some other additional needs. Too often, children with disabilities are written off and not heard.
When we started, he was a shy nine-year-old boy who was reluctant to speak to people he didn’t know. Today, he’s visited the Houses of Parliament, spoken to the Speaker of the House, received awards and confidently speaks in front of hundreds of people.
I’m incredibly proud of him. He’s shown how young disabled leaders can make a huge difference in their communities. Also, Redditch has really shown what can happen when we support one another.”
Find out more about Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank: https://teamisaac.co.uk/
About the Author
Claire is the proud mum of Isaac, founder of Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank, where she supports the day-to-day running of the organisation and its incredible team. What started as Isaac’s idea has grown into a vital community service, and she is passionate about helping it continue to make a real difference to families in need.