Food bank exploiters

This morning we had a very wide selection of food to share from Tesco finest ribs in ginger and soy sauce to cucumbers and lettuce and pineapples - lots of pineapples - and 50 punnets of raspberries and kimchi and keffir; bread, yoghurt and so on. All in all we are looking at about 100kgs of food - as I put it out we had maybe 40 to 50 people turn up, take what they needed with a smile on their faces. I was also able to give a selection boxes to people with kids (which had been donated by a local private sector business) - I asked who had kids and how many - I didn't ask for proof, I simply believed them.

As I sit her now, we've got about a couple of trays of lettuce left - that's a good thing.

People who wanted it could get something, maybe not everything they wanted, but there was plenty to go around; it's saved them money or given them a treat they wouldn't have bought for themselves. Can I honestly say that everyone was poor? - No. Are they destitute? Probably not. Were they grateful? Yes absolutely.

We are about stopping food going to landfill so today has been a good day.

We are living in a time when hyperbole is the order of the day. Is starvation widespread - no. Are lots of people struggling - yes. Should we help when we can - of course.

Edited to add: all the food has now gone
 
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Ollygon said:
Not really.

I don't often use taxis, but when I do the driver invariably starts talking about stuff and for some strange reason expects me to agree with his opinion, however extreme it might be.

I also find that when I'm driving, they push into traffic, u-turn without warning, and on occasions crawl along the Promenade soliciting for business.

So perhaps I am a bit biased.
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I just didn’t like the insinuation that because the post was written by someone who drives a taxi then it equates to a meaningless rant.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and whether or not you agree with his posts, Malced is very eloquent..
 
As pointed out above, people will always exploit and abuse systems if there is the opportunity to do so (i.e. welfares systems, tax systems etc).
There is a lot of anger on here (and not just in this thread), directed at people somewhere near the bottom of the tree who may abuse systems in a very small way - like the example given here, which may not even be an abuse. For instance, the person may well have been talking about using a foodbank before getting and starting a new job (that is the sort of thing that foodbanks are for btw). Most foodbanks have strict referral criteria, you cannot just turn up and walk away with free food. The fact that Malced has taken the time and energy to write so many posts about this rather trivial overheard conversation is revealing of his / her mindset and to me seems a little bit like victim blaming. Someone who lives in a large house can also get into financial difficulty.

Anyway, in general the alternative to letting the small things go, is to have starving children, something that we have not really had in our country for a long time. TS has just made a great post which shows that community can help people without having strings attached, great work TS. Times are hard for a lot of people at the moment, I think that we should show solidarity with our neighbours rather than resentment. The real abusers are those who are way up the food-chain. Our anger should be directed at them, who have lead us into this shit-show.
 
It's quite a depressing thread, in it's way. There are a number of people who post on AVFTT who have a distinctly odd take on life, and what our priorities should be.

One point that has not been made enough is the immense good that Foodbanks do, though TS had a good try. It's a shame that human nature is such that some people quickly move beyond that to focus on the tiny minority who don't play the game.
 
basilrobbie3 said:
It's quite a depressing thread, in it's way. There are a number of people who post on AVFTT who have a distinctly odd take on life, and what our priorities should be.

One point that has not been made enough is the immense good that Foodbanks do, though TS had a good try. It's a shame that human nature is such that some people quickly move beyond that to focus on the tiny minority who don't play the game.
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yep well said Robbie. I admire you for your criticism of those on here who tried and succeeded in making this thread about the politics rather than the good job food banks actually do. Around the world of course.
 
Malced said:
Respectfully I disagree.

I don’t see a link between this discussion and some future negative impact on food bank donations. It’s not just a slight stretch, but rather a quantum leap

The power of social media is undoubted. But we’re hardly gonna see some societal behavioural changing viral thread spawned from AVFTT. (No offence mods - but this ain’t Twitter).

By contrast though, you and the others with such concern could consider a more positive impact. It could shame any abusers into thinking again about their morals and their behaviour. They may think better of taking food away from the more needy going forward. If you allow the possibility of the former, then you must allow the possibility of the latter.

But neither will happen. It’s just a thread on avftt with very limited impact.
Some topics are uncomfortable. It’s not a perfect world. It’s not nice to read about people exploiting food banks. But we can’t stick our head in the sand and pretend everything is perfect.

I raised this topic purely because food banks have been mentioned time and again on the news as we approach Christmas; and due to the many strikes that we’ve been seeing.
The shortage in donations has been reported.

So having heard the lady in my taxi talking with absolutely no compunction about going to the food bank, it made me ponder how widespread it is for seemingly well off people to take advantage of this type of charity.

It’s not about suspicion of neighbours. It’a not about criticism of food banks. It’s not about right v left. Ifs a genuine concern that there won’t be enough for the ones in desperate need, if it’s been given to those who aren’t hungry and who have the means to buy their food.

And sadly I do have a concern that the more food banks are normalised by the media, the more the demand will be, and the less viable food banks will become. They’re only effective if they are for the most needy. If we morph to a situation where people go cos it will mean they have money for other things, then the food banks won’t have a cat in hells chance.
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Malced, I get where you're coming from but my concerns about ramping up the issue of abusing food banks was not restricted to this thread on this message board. If we look beyond this site and consider what might happen if these peripheral concerns became something that the right wing press were to take pleasure in exploiting, that's when I think the damage could take hold.
 
basilrobbie3 said:
It's quite a depressing thread, in it's way. There are a number of people who post on AVFTT who have a distinctly odd take on life, and what our priorities should be.

One point that has not been made enough is the immense good that Foodbanks do, though TS had a good try. It's a shame that human nature is such that some people quickly move beyond that to focus on the tiny minority who don't play the game.
Click to expand...

This site isn’t merely for addressing priorities. Talking about any given topic doesn’t mean it’s that persons priority or anyone else’s who chooses to engage in the discussion. One quick loook at the list of thread titles makes that plain for anyone to see.

It’s observational commentary on a topic which is a current one especially during the cost of living crisis. It’s been a popular thread and the initial post has had many likes. So it’s fair game to post the thread and it’s been largely well received.

However, there’s a clear pattern that repeats on this thread. It’s overt or covert attempts from people to put down or even character assassinate somoeone because their view is a differing one. You’ve just joined that club.

I won’t be intimated into refraining from posting about whatever I want to. But if you want to provide me with a list of acceptable topics I’ll give it some consideration.
 
TSSeasider said:
This morning we had a very wide selection of food to share from Tesco finest ribs in ginger and soy sauce to cucumbers and lettuce and pineapples - lots of pineapples - and 50 punnets of raspberries and kimchi and keffir; bread, yoghurt and so on. All in all we are looking at about 100kgs of food - as I put it out we had maybe 40 to 50 people turn up, take what they needed with a smile on their faces. I was also able to give a selection boxes to people with kids (which had been donated by a local private sector business) - I asked who had kids and how many - I didn't ask for proof, I simply believed them.

As I sit her now, we've got about a couple of trays of lettuce left - that's a good thing.

People who wanted it could get something, maybe not everything they wanted, but there was plenty to go around; it's saved them money or given them a treat they wouldn't have bought for themselves. Can I honestly say that everyone was poor? - No. Are they destitute? Probably not. Were they grateful? Yes absolutely.

We are about stopping food going to landfill so today has been a good day.

We are living in a time when hyperbole is the order of the day. Is starvation widespread - no. Are lots of people struggling - yes. Should we help when we can - of course.

Edited to add: all the food has now gone
Click to expand...
Good post,and it clearly shows that where institutions can make charitable offerings available then they can be gratefully received by everyone, not just the destitute. When we go to the supermarket and peruse the discounted shelves where items are at or close to their use by dates, are we meant to feel guilty that we are not destitute when helping ourselves to these items? Of course not. We can all do with a helping hand, especially when inflation is pushing up prices and degrading wages.

I have just reread the OP, having read this latest from TSS and that at #97 from Costero. Is it simply anger at people using a charitable facility when they don't appear to need it or is it a disguised, wider comment about people abusing benefits? Either way, an appearance of 'need' based on nothing more than the use of a taxi or anecdotal stories from a third party, suggests a ready need for the observer to jump to unsubstantiated conclusions. My own views on the thread is to look at the wider context of the value of food banks compared to the peripheral incidence of abuse. Also, importantly, to note that 'need' affects us all and that we should not feel criminalised for making use of assistance where it is available.
 
Malced said:
This site isn’t merely for addressing priorities. Talking about any given topic doesn’t mean it’s that persons priority or anyone else’s who chooses to engage in the discussion. One quick loook at the list of thread titles makes that plain for anyone to see.

It’s observational commentary on a topic which is a current one especially during the cost of living crisis. It’s been a popular thread and the initial post has had many likes. So it’s fair game to post the thread and it’s been largely well received.

However, there’s a clear pattern that repeats on this thread. It’s overt or covert attempts from people to put down or even character assassinate somoeone because their view is a differing one. You’ve just joined that club.

I won’t be intimated into refraining from posting about whatever I want to. But if you want to provide me with a list of acceptable topics I’ll give it some consideration.
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone said it was an unacceptable topic. Some people think your take on it is distinctly odd, and have said so.

If you insist on seeing that as "character assassination", aren't you making their point, to an extent?

I think the central point remains. Do some people cheat the system? Of course they do. Should we focus disproportionately on that? No we shouldn't. There are far bigger, systemic abuses that deserve our outrage.
 
Malced said:
This site isn’t merely for addressing priorities. Talking about any given topic doesn’t mean it’s that persons priority or anyone else’s who chooses to engage in the discussion. One quick loook at the list of thread titles makes that plain for anyone to see.

It’s observational commentary on a topic which is a current one especially during the cost of living crisis. It’s been a popular thread and the initial post has had many likes. So it’s fair game to post the thread and it’s been largely well received.

However, there’s a clear pattern that repeats on this thread. It’s overt or covert attempts from people to put down or even character assassinate somoeone because their view is a differing one. You’ve just joined that club.

I won’t be intimated into refraining from posting about whatever I want to. But if you want to provide me with a list of acceptable topics I’ll give it some consideration.
Click to expand...
If you start a thread entitled 'Food bank exploiters' without any actual evidence of food bank abuse then you can rightly expect some push back on here. This push back does not make you a victim of anything.

Here-say from a conversation in the back of your taxi and living in a big house are not evidence of food bank abuse. Neither is using a taxi or wearing nice clothes. As stated, most food-banks have strict referral criteria.

All in all, it just comes across as your needless resentment of other people when the actual truth is that the vast majority of food bank users are genuinely in need.
 
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basilrobbie3 said:
I don't think anyone said it was an unacceptable topic. Some people think your take on it is distinctly odd, and have said so.

If you insist on seeing that as "character assassination", aren't you making their point, to an extent?

I think the central point remains. Do some people cheat the system? Of course they do. Should we focus disproportionately on that? No we shouldn't. There are far bigger, systemic abuses that deserve our outrage.
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Agree - such as tax dodgers.
 
20togo said:
yep well said Robbie. I admire you for your criticism of those on here who tried and succeeded in making this thread about the politics rather than the good job food banks actually do. Around the world of course.
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Whoosh
 
TotallyTangerine said:
I just didn’t like the insinuation that because the post was written by someone who drives a taxi then it equates to a meaningless rant.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and whether or not you agree with his posts, Malced is very eloquent..
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TT

Nice words, we are spoilt having somebody like Malced contributing to this forum.

His post always inspire - or should ? - good healthy discussion and debate and he is tolerant of those who express differing views.

It's such a shame that some would seem to be happier to belittle him and the points he makes rather than address those points because he happens to drive a Joe Baxi for a living and/or they believe that there are bigger fish to fry.


RIP Allez's "What are you having for tea" threads.
 
What a heart warming thread. The eve of Christmas eve and Christianity is brimming on this one. People accusing the poorest in society of abusing food banks, maybe some do. Probably Mary and Joseph abused staying in that stable, I'm sure they could afford the Ritz for the night but it's best to chisel a night free of charge.
Divide and rule, we can all point the finger whilst scrapping for the crumbs.
 
I think this is the most depressing thread I’ve ever read on this board.
If you want to get upset about people being given help with their food why not start here -

Taxpayers charged £17m to subsidise MPs’ food.​

The thing about food banks is people make donations. They give what they can or want. It is their choice and they do so in the knowledge that some of it may end up going to someone who doesn’t really need it, but that’s a price worth paying to help kids or the elderly or anyone who simply has fallen on hard times from going hungry.

On the other hand we have no say in how our taxes are spent whether that be helping to feed very wealthy MPs or handing out dodgy contracts to very wealthy people with connections to the Tory party.
 
Shandypants said:
What a heart warming thread. The eve of Christmas eve and Christianity is brimming on this one. People accusing the poorest in society of abusing food banks, maybe some do. Probably Mary and Joseph abused staying in that stable, I'm sure they could afford the Ritz for the night but it's best to chisel a night free of charge.
Divide and rule, we can all point the finger whilst scrapping for the crumbs.
Click to expand...
who is actually accusing the poorest in society of abusing food banks? The o/p certainly isn't.
 
Shandypants said:
What a heart warming thread. The eve of Christmas eve and Christianity is brimming on this one. People accusing the poorest in society of abusing food banks, maybe some do. Probably Mary and Joseph abused staying in that stable, I'm sure they could afford the Ritz for the night but it's best to chisel a night free of charge.
Divide and rule, we can all point the finger whilst scrapping for the crumbs.
Click to expand...

I suggest you reread the posts rather than jump to unfounded and unjustifiable accusations.
 
traffordtang said:
I think this is the most depressing thread I’ve ever read on this board.
If you want to get upset about people being given help with their food why not start here -

Taxpayers charged £17m to subsidise MPs’ food.​

The thing about food banks is people make donations. They give what they can or want. It is their choice and they do so in the knowledge that some of it may end up going to someone who doesn’t really need it, but that’s a price worth paying to help kids or the elderly or anyone who simply has fallen on hard times from going hungry.

On the other hand we have no say in how our taxes are spent whether that be helping to feed very wealthy MPs or handing out dodgy contracts to very wealthy people with connections to the Tory party.
Click to expand...
Exactly right.
 
traffordtang said:
I think this is the most depressing thread I’ve ever read on this board.
If you want to get upset about people being given help with their food why not start here -

Taxpayers charged £17m to subsidise MPs’ food.​

The thing about food banks is people make donations. They give what they can or want. It is their choice and they do so in the knowledge that some of it may end up going to someone who doesn’t really need it, but that’s a price worth paying to help kids or the elderly or anyone who simply has fallen on hard times from going hungry.

On the other hand we have no say in how our taxes are spent whether that be helping to feed very wealthy MPs or handing out dodgy contracts to very wealthy people with connections to the Tory party.
Click to expand...

You’re very selective in stating how taxpayer money is spent. I’m sure we’ve all been getting help with the cost of living. You conveniently forgot to mention that.
 
Shandypants said:
You're certainly casting doubt on some people using them, that feeds into the narrative that folk are on the take and if that attutude prevails then people wont donate or want to help out. If some people are abusing them shame on them but I also feel that you're insinuations are unjustified.
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How are they unjustified when I’ve talked about specific cases. My friend gets on a plane to Tenerife in a few days but he uses food banks.

I spoke to a lady today who helps the council give out food at the library. (Yes I’ve done a bit of research whilst I’ve been out and about). She said it’s heartbreaking. The people she sees are referred from the council. They are at their wits end. They are desperate. They are going hungry and malnourished. She says they are so grateful if given a box of eggs or a bag of pasta.

I told her about the two people I have featured in this thread and she said she was disgusted.

I qualified what I said to her by saying I admit I don’t know the taxi customer’s full circumstances- but she was glammed up for a night out and said she’d just paid a huge electric/gas bill cos she decided against further protest as it would affect her credit score.

The women I spoke to today said that was a million miles from the people she sees.

So it’s very apparent to me that some are using foodbanks as a choice of convenience and not out of necessity.

They should be used by those who would otherwise go hungry.

I’ve never criticised food banks or their merit or those who rely on them out of necessity. The multiple people on here who infer that, are imagineering their own narrative for whatever warped reason they may have.

The discussion on here is about food bank abusers of which there are some. Discussing that shouldn’t be a taboo subject.

By the way, those that like to speak of tolerance and are against bigots are interestingly the ones who behave like bigots. Go figure.

Stereotyping and judging someone due to their job type is the behaviour of a bigot and nothing less.

I did 7 years in the RAF and then 25 or more years in management and project management. The latter I did to a very senior level. I decided to drive a cab cos I wanted to.

I’m happy with my career and my current self employment thank you, and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and how I continue to conduct myself and help people from all walks of life.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
Good post,and it clearly shows that where institutions can make charitable offerings available then they can be gratefully received by everyone, not just the destitute. When we go to the supermarket and peruse the discounted shelves where items are at or close to their use by dates, are we meant to feel guilty that we are not destitute when helping ourselves to these items? Of course not. We can all do with a helping hand, especially when inflation is pushing up prices and degrading wages.

I have just reread the OP, having read this latest from TSS and that at #97 from Costero. Is it simply anger at people using a charitable facility when they don't appear to need it or is it a disguised, wider comment about people abusing benefits? Either way, an appearance of 'need' based on nothing more than the use of a taxi or anecdotal stories from a third party, suggests a ready need for the observer to jump to unsubstantiated conclusions. My own views on the thread is to look at the wider context of the value of food banks compared to the peripheral incidence of abuse. Also, importantly, to note that 'need' affects us all and that we should not feel criminalised for making use of assistance where it is available.
Click to expand...

I’ve not seen any anger in the posts on this thread. Don’t falsely characterise it.
 
Shandypants said:
In my opinion the op is casting doubt on food banks validity. Anyway at 10.26 yesterday you declared you were out of this subject 🤣
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no he isn't, he's casting doubt on the validity of a few people who used it. It's all there in the o/p. But you clearly only see what you want to see.
 
On a positive note, as with most open discussions, I’ve learned something.

It does seem as if a referral is needed ahead of a visit to a food bank. I didn’t know that when I wrote the opening post.

So that to some extent does reassure me that it can’t become a free for all. And that abuse will be largely limited and not so common.

Sorry if any my posts on here were grumpy.

There’s two reasons for that.

1. I saw Mayo was included in the food bank parcels.
2. My wife died at this time of year. Mind you, the summer is even more difficult for me, cos that’s when I was sentenced.
 
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Malced said:
How are they unjustified when I’ve talked about specific cases. My friend gets on a plane to Tenerife in a few days but he uses food banks.

I spoke to a lady today who helps the council give out food at the library. (Yes I’ve done a bit of research whilst I’ve been out and about). She said it’s heartbreaking. The people she sees are referred from the council. They are at their wits end. They are desperate. They are going hungry and malnourished. She says they are so grateful if given a box of eggs or a bag of pasta.

I told her about the two people I have featured in this thread and she said she was disgusted.

I qualified what I said to her by saying I admit I don’t know the taxi customer’s full circumstances- but she was glammed up for a night out and said she’d just paid a huge electric/gas bill cos she decided against further protest as it would affect her credit score.

The women I spoke to today said that was a million miles from the people she sees.

So it’s very apparent to me that some are using foodbanks as a choice of convenience and not out of necessity.

They should be used by those who would otherwise go hungry.

I’ve never criticised food banks or their merit or those who rely on them out of necessity. The multiple people on here who infer that, are imagineering their own narrative for whatever warped reason they may have.

The discussion on here is about food bank abusers of which there are some. Discussing that shouldn’t be a taboo subject.

By the way, those that like to speak of tolerance and are against bigots are interestingly the ones who behave like bigots. Go figure.

Stereotyping and judging someone due to their job type is the behaviour of a bigot and nothing less.

I did 7 years in the RAF and then 25 or more years in management and project management. The latter I did to a very senior level. I decided to drive a cab cos I wanted to.

I’m happy with my career and my current self employment thank you, and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and how I continue to conduct myself and help people from all walks of life.
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I've never stereotyped and judged someone because of their job, why mention that in response to me?
 
Malced said:
You’re very selective in stating how taxpayer money is spent. I’m sure we’ve all been getting help with the cost of living. You conveniently forgot to mention that.
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I’ve had help with utilities as has every householder in the uk including the very wealthy. lm selective in the same way you are about people abusing food banks.
 
traffordtang said:
I’ve had help with utilities as has every householder in the uk including the very wealthy. lm selective in the same way you are about people abusing food banks.
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Not a fair comparison. It would be if I hadn’t referenced the genuine and needy many many times on the thread. And said how I was concerned that there continues to be enough supplies for them.
 
Life is unfair and very complex. The Strong, the better looking, the ones born more intelligent or better looking (not just me) , the ones from a better gene pool have big advantages BUT we are very very lucky to live in our Country compared to most of the World in terms of democracy, in terms of checks and balances, a free press, good equality between the sexes tv etc

I feel blessed to have been born in the UK …and as a kid growing up we had very little compared to most people nowadays

Merry Christmas Ladies and Gents xx
 
Malced said:
On a positive note, as with most open discussions, I’ve learned something.

It does seem as if a referral is needed ahead of a visit to a food bank. I didn’t know that when I wrote the opening post.

So that to some extent does reassure me that it can’t become a free for all. And that abuse will be largely limited and not so common.

Sorry if any my posts on here were grumpy.

There’s reasons for that.

1. I saw Mayo was included in the food bank parcels.
2. My wife died at this time of year. Mind you, the summer is even more difficult for me cos that’s when I was sentenced.
Click to expand...

That sounds complicated !
Take care and don’t stress about the Mayo. At it’s best it’s good for you.
 
Bloodtangerine said:
Life is unfair and very complex. The Strong, the better looking, the ones born more intelligent or better looking (not just me) , the ones from a better gene pool have big advantages BUT we are very very lucky to live in our Country compared to most of the World in terms of democracy, in terms of checks and balances, a free press, good equality between the sexes tv etc

I feel blessed to have been born in the UK …and as a kid growing up we had very little compared to most people nowadays

Merry Christmas Ladies and Gents xx
Click to expand...

Yes indeed! Look around the World and we are truly blessed. Probably more so now than we were only a few years ago.

Merry Christmas to you too!
 
Bloodtangerine said:
Life is unfair and very complex. The Strong, the better looking, the ones born more intelligent or better looking (not just me) , the ones from a better gene pool have big advantages BUT we are very very lucky to live in our Country compared to most of the World in terms of democracy, in terms of checks and balances, a free press, good equality between the sexes tv etc

I feel blessed to have been born in the UK …and as a kid growing up we had very little compared to most people nowadays

Merry Christmas Ladies and Gents xx
Click to expand...

Same to you buddy xx
 
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