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Trussell Trust
The demand for foodbank services has increased significantly over recent years and Trussell Trust runs over 1,300 of the UK’s foodbanks.
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At the 2022 Mayoral Election Assembly in Hackney and Islington, Mayoral candidates agreed to take action on various important local issues. In particular, they felt the community needed support in responding to the energy crisis, as many vulnerable households were struggling to top up their gas and electricity.
Members approached our Managing Director, Andrew Goddard to ask if Payzone could supply bill payment devices for local churches and food banks. He heard testimony from local residents who described some of the challenges they faced accessing Payzone machines in their local community. Off the back of this, Payzone supplied five devices to be used in the community.
The donated Payzone devices meant that local churches and food banks could make energy donations to local households in need. The Mayoral candidates also created a dedicated fund available to local informal support groups working with parents of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The initiative has been a great success so far. On Thursday 18th May, one year since the first Mayoral Election Assembly, 30 Hackney & Islington Citizens, a branch of Citizens UK, gathered at St John’s Hoxton for a Spring Celebration. The celebration marked the achievements of the past year, celebrating big wins of the community’s Energy campaign and SEN support campaign.
Payzone’s Finance Director, Pavandeep Dhami, was delighted to attend the event, where we were presented with a certificate thanking us for our support.
Whilst we were at the event, we spoke with Revd Graham Hunter, Vicar - St John’s Hoxton, and member of Hackney & Islington Citizens, to find out how the devices have helped the local community. St John’s Hoxton has been a member of Citizens UK since 2011.
The devices have proven to be a huge success within the Church. If a resident shows up in need with no gas or electricity and no funds to top up, the Church can make a donation to their account directly from the Benevolent funds raised. They have raised around £5,000 and matched some of those donations with PCC grants which have been distributed as energy top-up donations and gift cards for Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
In addition, the Church has developed a ‘Wednesday Warm Welcome’ initiative to support the local community. Initially, this is running until July but they are hoping to continue this throughout autumn if they secure funding. For four hours every Wednesday morning, the Church is warm and accessible and they provide tea, coffee and pastries to around 30 residents each week.
One of the principal uses of the Payzone device is to make energy donations, particularly on Wednesday mornings. Another benefit is that the Church can provide a unique and accessible space for people who want to top up their Keys and have the financial means to do so.
Overall, having Payzone devices in the local community enables the Church to make donations and provide a more accessible route for residents to top up their energy.
The demand for foodbank services has increased significantly over recent years and Trussell Trust runs over 1,300 of the UK’s foodbanks.
Many of us have been affected by sharp rises in energy prices. If your customers are feeling stuck, see if our guidance can help.
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