Marcus Rashford MBE and the Child Food Poverty Task Force have launched a new website today, coinciding with the transmission of a new BBC documentary which has been following his campaigning efforts to tackle child food poverty.

The website has two main aims. Firstly, to help vulnerable families and children to find support over the Christmas holidays via an interactive map that signposts to the available local support in their area. Local authorities, businesses, food banks, NGO’s, and charities and sporting organisations have all signed up, presenting their offers of food support to young people and families throughout the winter period and beyond.

The website also contains information on how people can offer support, either through donating money or volunteering.

Several major UK food businesses and members of the Child Food Poverty Task Force have rallied together to tackle child hunger this winter, with the website being a central point for information on support schemes available.

The website has been built by digital agency 89up with support from PLMR and Web Geo Services.  It was funded by Co-Op and Google. Ongoing funding will be provided by the Rapid Relief Team. 

The Government recently announced £170 million was to be given to Local Authorities in the emergency winter grants scheme, as the country prepares for one of the most challenging Christmas periods ever with millions struggling to feed their families. The #endchildfoodpoverty website includes details and links in order for people to access the support being offered by their local council.   

Hundreds of food banks and charities have also registered details of the emergency food provision they will be offering over the Christmas period, with a huge rise in people looking for support being reported. IFAN has reported a 60% increase in the use of food banks in October, and are projecting a sharp rise in numbers as millions more face financial insecurity due to the pandemic and the end of the furloughing schemes.  

Businesses and other organisations are also invited to register to the #endchildfoodpoverty map, with hundreds opening and offering holiday schemes or free meals to children as part of a broad campaign to bring the country together to #EndChildFoodPoverty. Marcus Rashford is calling on as many as possible to register details of their offer using the web form.

The BBC documentary, entitled Marcus Rashford: Feeding Britain’s Children will air at 7pm on BBC One. The trailer can be viewed here.

The Food Foundation has also released a series of podcasts recorded over the past few months, introduced by Dame Emma Thompson. The podcasts, recorded all over the UK, hear from the people on the front line in food banks, charities and from families who are facing crisis levels of food insecurity. They have been recorded as part of the Right2Food Campaign and feature the Young Food Ambassadors that also appear in the BBC documentary.