OVER 100 people, including the Mayor, Councillor Julian Roskams, came to Lansdowne Crescent Methodist Church recently for a public debate on the topic Why a Food Bank in Malvern?

The panellists for the evening were Harriett Baldwin, constituency MP, Daniel Walton, Labour Party Parliamentary candidate, James Milton, Food Bank Network Manager for the Trussell Trust and Sue Rogers, Head of Services for Worcester City Early Help and Action for Children.

The Chair, Reverend David Haslam MBE, a Methodist minister who is active in various social justice issues, referred to the Faith in Food Banks report from the Joint Public Issues Team, September 2014. He then invited each panellist to make a five minute presentation on the subject and during a refreshment break the audience were invited to submit questions to the panel.

On re-convening a lively debate ensued under the excellent chairing of David Haslam. Harriett Baldwin's presentation stressed the benefits of recent improvements in the economic situation brought about by the coalition's policies, whilst David Walton felt that such improvements chiefly benefitted the wealthy and did nothing to relieve poverty.

Replying to a question suggesting that Food Banks, provided as a charity in response to need may encourage scroungers, Sue Rogers emphatically denied this, warning against stereotyping by certain sections of the press and public opinion. She gave examples of Food Bank clients who wer ein low-paid work or had lost jobs through sickness or redundancy.

Speaking on behalf of the Trussell Trust, who manage 450 Food Banks across the country, James Milton pointed to the fact that Food Banks provide short term relief in emergency situations. All applicants must be referred by GPs, social services or charity organisations through a voucher system.

Other issues debated included the pros and cons of paying a living wage as opposed to the minimum wage; the undesirability of zero hours contracts; hardships caused by delays in payment of benefits; the benefits trap, whereby a few extra hours work could lead to significant reduction in benefits and the increasing divide between rich and poor.

Several speakers stressed the need for a more joined-up approach to poverty which extended beyond meeting short term needs to focusing on the root causes of food and fuel poverty. The numbers of people accessing Food Banks has increased dramatically across the country and Malvern is no exception. However, it is one example of an area where extreme wealth and extreme poverty coexist side by side.

The evening ended with thanks from Chris Bray Malvern Hills Food Bank representative and an acknowledgement that the debate enabled us to listen to each others views and demonstrated that we are about the kind of society we want to live in. We were encouraged to get involved, whether in politics, voluntary organisations or the church to make a positive difference for those struggling under the enormous pressures that poverty causes today, so that Food Banks become a thing of the past.

The next in the series of Lansdowne Questions Time Debates in March 2015 is on Affordable Housing or Green Fields? and will have an equally gifted guest panel.