Food banks are a mistake article in The Sun

"Food banks are a mistake... They are a hand-out not a hand-up" a quote from the Sun about food banks.

I saw this on my facebook page, my friend also feeling as disgusted as me, had posted this. I was completely disgusted by this, food banks are more important now than ever seeing as food prices have been rising and so many families are struggling to make ends meet. I've decided to start volunteering in my local food bank during my holidays and just when I was researching today some of the stories I found were heartbreaking.

"This week foodbank mum Donna was almost in tears as she told me that she couldn't afford birthday presents to give to her twins who will be 13 on Sunday. She said that her sons had asked to have a friend come to stay to celebrate their birthday but she hasn't said yes because she's not sure they can afford the extra food. Donna used to work in a school for children with Aspergers and Autism but is currently off work due to depression - which has been exacerbated by the family's financial worries. Her partner was recently made redundant and they are currently living on £38 per week due to mistakes with their benefits. This is the reality behind the statistics. Donna says she will be 'eternally grateful' for their foodbox. Without it she says she would have gone without food and had to try to scrape together enough money to give the children something, even just bread and butter. The family are keen to get back into work, that's the hope that keeps them going."

I tried to find the article online but seeing as that means giving money to the Sun, this is all I could find without funding Rupert Murdoch so I just thought I'd post this to show how disgusted I am by the Sun.

Funding him all of a couple of pennies? If that? Stop being awkward and just link the article.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/5573701/Edwina-Currie-Food-banks-are-a-mistake-They-are-a-hand-out.html

This was all I could find on a google search with the quote, I don't have a Sun account and I don't intend on getting one any time soon, even if it is only a 'few pennies' to Rupert Murdoch it's the principle

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/5573701/Edwina-Currie-Food-banks-are-a-mistake-They-are-a-hand-out.html

This was all I could find on a google search with the quote, I don't have a Sun account and I don't intend on getting one any time soon, even if it is only a 'few pennies' to Rupert Murdoch it's the principle

Looooooool, the Sun? Really? I hardly think they're the most reliable source in the world (titles are often very misleading...)

Posted from TSR Mobile

Well the article is written by that harridan Edwina Currie.

Trust me, I HATE the Sun and usually have a policy of ignoring it, but when I saw something as disgusting as this I was just a little angry and felt the need to vent a bit...

Sun aside

Benefits aren't the gravy train people make out

You can get sanctioned very easily I,e. No benefits for trivial matters

Absolutely! And the government have the cheek to make out that everyone on benefits are scroungers, they should try living on only what some people get for benefits - with the constant fear that'll get what little they have cut off.

If I could see Ian thieving Duncan-Smith forced to do that I'd be laughing right now...

I'd rather stare at its namesake for an hour than read The Sun, so I think I'll just have to take your word here.

I think it's also the mentality of those not on jobseekers that they must be made to suffer

When you're actually making the problem worse ... If you take money away from someone who doesn't have any how will that help their search ?

It's just simple numbers , too many people , not enough jobs

I think people on the left are just pissed off that food banks show you don't need a bigger state, higher taxes and more government in order to help the needy. The big society in action.

Sorry just to clarify whether the bit in bold is sarcasm or you support Cameron's Big Society? Not always the easiest thing to do online...

A bit of both. The concept of the Big Society was horribly sold to the public when Cameron tried to explain the idea and so it deserves mocking for that, but I agree with the basic principle that people shouldn't always look to the government to solve their problems, and that people don't need to go through a big central organising body to help out their fellow man, just to get on and do it. The example of food banks is as good an issue as any to illustrate the point.