Food bag scheme praised in university research

Ten churches running a £2 food bag scheme for those in need have been praised in a research study

A study into a community food project that supplies £2 bags of shopping items said the service had filled a gap in public sector provision.

Research from the University of Suffolk explored the outcomes of the Top Up Shops initiative, which is run by 10 Anglican churches in Ipswich.

The service provided people who were struggling financially with a bag of food and supplies in return for a £2 donation, without any need for a referral.

The scheme was found to have developed new communities, as well as provided much-needed food, researchers said.

The report said each £2 bag could deliver up to £40 of food goods and supplies, with the nominal £2 sum helping to ensure those who use the service felt they maintained a sense of dignity.

Some interviewees in the research noted the bag was “more than enough to feed a small family for a week”, and added the cost-of-living crisis had become the main driver behind their use of the service.

Reverend Lawrence Carey said "we have seen people’s lives be transformed, which is truly humbling"

The study found the shops helped reduce loneliness and promoted social cohesion “to the point that new communities were visibly being created across most of the sites”.

As well as food, Top Up Shops were able to signpost people to other support services, with visiting nurses identifying “serious health concerns” among some customers.

The report added: “Without raising any criticism of local authorities, it was a perception that, along with other similar services in Ipswich and elsewhere, Top Up Shops were delivering a service which is demonstrably filling a gap in public sector provision while self-funding to do so.”

Dr Mark Manning, on behalf of the research team, said: "It is clear that Top Up Shops are considered to be highly effective in supporting those in need within their communities and may be considered exemplars for the ways in which they do."

Reverend Lawrence Carey, who helped form the service, said: “The Top Up Shops are about more than just food, they are about dignity and agency."

Researchers added that learnings from the study could boost the longer-term sustainability of Top Up Shops.

It added the service addressed three out of four priorities outlined in Suffolk County Council’s Tackling Poverty in Suffolk strategy, which was published in 2022, such as emergency support, mitigating the impacts of poverty and preventing poverty.