Trussell: reshaping the conversation on hunger

It started with a spark of compassion, a garage, and a garden shed. In 2000, aid workers Paddy and Carol Henderson received a call from a UK mother who was struggling to afford food. This inspired them to set up Salisbury Foodbank from their home, which offered three days’ emergency food supplies to local people who did not have enough money to live on. Called Trussell, the foodbank has since grown to support a community of more than 1,400 locations across the UK, where almost 40,000 volunteers offer emergency food with compassion, advice, and practical support.

“I used to need food banks, but now I volunteer there,” says Aaron. “It makes such a difference to people’s lives. You can see people walk in sad and stressed, and then they leave with a smile.”

In 12 months between April 2024 and March 2025, Trussell distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels – one every 11 seconds. This reflects dedication and kindness on a national scale, and it’s also part of a pattern of increasing demand that’s seen a 51 per cent increase in provision over the past five years.

Trussell sees hunger in the UK as an income problem, not a food problem. “What was designed as a lifeline has become a long-term feature of society,” says co-CEO at Trussell, Emma Revie. “It shouldn’t be that way. While food banks provide a lifeline for so many people facing hardship, they’re rooted in financial insecurity. We know the building blocks needed to end hunger for good. To reach a future without foodbanks, it’s important we don’t just address urgent need, but empower people to boost their income and financial resilience.”

Today, the charity is bringing together its community of food banks, volunteers, and people with lived experience to help address the causes that prevent access to food. Through that community, Trussell has developed a deep understanding of the drivers that bring people to food banks.

These include: inability to access to the UK’s social security (benefits) system; and challenging life experiences such as ill health, disability, or job insecurity. There are also wider factors that prevent people from increasing their income, such as a lack of affordable transport or access to childcare.

Trussell funds in-person advisers at food banks and a free Help through Hardship helpline, run in partnership with Citizens Advice and Mind, which give practical advice and emotional support. From advice on energy efficiency and benefits, to mental wellbeing and debt referrals, this holistic approach tackles the root causes of financial hardship and hunger.

In 2024-25, the average income gain for each caller was GBP 1,494. In 25 years, Trussell’s impact has mushroomed from one Salisbury backyard to a reach of millions. But at its heart remains a belief in community – to meet urgent need with hope and dignity, and ultimately to help people long before they need a food bank. “The power of community is recognising that sometimes people struggle, that it could be any one of us, and that the rest of us are there to help and walk alongside you,” says Stephanie, a learning lead at a local food bank.

Oak supports Trussell through our Special Interest Programme, which provides our Trustees with space and flexibility to make grants outside of Oak’s other programme strategies.