Callum Wilson visited Gateshead Foodbank in Newcastle to help pack emergency food parcels and share his own experiences of receiving similar support when he was younger.

The Newcastle United player's visit to one of the club's local food banks took place in light of the Trussell Trust's latest report findings - a charity working to eliminate the need for food banks in the United Kingdom.

The charity's newest figures revealed that nearly three million emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship between April 2022 and March 2023, with more than one million parcels provided for children.

The Trussell Trust’s network of food banks distributed more emergency food parcels last year, than any other year in the charity’s history - the charity’s food bank services were used 37% more in 2022 than in 2021.

When asked about the findings and his personal experience of accessing food bank provision, Wilson said: “As someone who grew up in a household that benefited from the support of the local food bank, it’s an issue that’s very personal to me and I can relate to."

"It was very important to me, to visit Gateshead Foodbank and see first-hand the amazing work they’re doing in the community, but they shouldn’t be needed. Everyone should have enough money in their pocket to afford the essentials in life. It’s a basic human right.”

The North East of England saw a shocking 54% increase in emergency food parcel deliveries in the last year, and though the current cost of living crisis has affected these numbers, the need for emergency food parcels has been steadily increasing over the past five years.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “The continued increase in parcel numbers over the last five years indicates that it is ongoing low levels of income and a social security system that isn’t fit for purpose that are forcing more people to need food banks.

“Food banks were set up to provide short-term support to people in an emergency, they are not a lasting solution to hunger and poverty.”

The charity has joined forces with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, advocating for the government to enforce an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ that would ensure Universal Credit payments always provide enough to cover the cost of essentials such as food, utilities and vital household goods.

Research by the charities has revealed that the £85 weekly Universal Credit standard allowance is roughly £35 less than the weekly cost of essential items for a single person, contributing to hundreds of thousands of people resorting to food banks.

To learn more about the campaign, visit the Trussell Trust website.