Groups as one in the fight to end UK hunger

HELPING out . . . Angie Rackham, Silvie Rackham and Nikki Davies at the Saddleworth Food and Drink Festival

SOME 20,000 Oldhamers are living in food poverty, according to new statistics ­- prompting a fresh fight to end hunger.

Oldham Council and local organisations have joined forces to support End Hunger UK, a national two-year campaign.

Data from the United Nations suggests more than eight million UK residents struggle to put food on the table ­- 20,000 in Oldham alone.

Launched

The council has now teamed up with Action Together, the ANCORA project, Get Oldham Working, Great Places Housing, IF Oldham, Networking East Oldham Neighbourhoods (NEON), Oldham Food Bank, Oldham Credit Union, Real Junk Food Oldham, Remploy, Oldham work clubs and Oldham Citizens' Advice Bureau.

As part of the campaign launch, marquees in the town centre provided prevention advice, live cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts and face painting on Saturday.

On Sunday, The Real Junk Food Project attended Saddleworth Food and Drink Festival at Uppermill Civic Hall where they used apples harvested by Grassroots Failsworth to make treats.

Cllr Eddie Moores, cabinet member for health and well-being, said: "In this day and age, no-one should be living in food poverty. The statistics simply have to be changed.

"As organisations and individuals working every day to support people struggling to put food on the table locally, we're passionate about solving this issue.

"In Oldham we already have great projects such as Get Oldham Growing and Veg in the Park and we recently joined the Sustainable Food Cities Network. But we know that voluntary action alone isn't enough. We need long-term solutions to hunger and poverty."