Council given £284,000 of government money to help support vulnerable Northamptonshire households during cost of living crisis

As well as helping vulnerable families, it is planned that the money is given to local food banks and other organisations who provide residents with a hamper of store cupboard items.

Funding is also being re-directed to warm spaces and other community organisations offering food or meals during the winter period, including Christmas meals.

Councillor Gill Mercer, North Northamptonshire Council’s executive member for adults, health and wellbeing said: “We resolved to redistribute any unspent money from the last round of Household Support Fund. Once again, we are working with our partner The Daylight Centre Fellowship to ensure that this money will be spent in ways that best benefit the most vulnerable north Northamptonshire residents.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the food banks, warm spaces, charities and community organisations involved. Your work is instrumental in helping us distribute HSF funding to north Northamptonshire residents, where, and how, it is most needed.”

The underspend redistribution is in addition to funding already provided from HSF to The Daylight Centre Fellowship in Wellingborough. The centre holds the funding and distributes it to a network of food banks and charitable organisations.

James Bellamy, trustee at The Daylight Centre Fellowship said: “The funding that North Northamptonshire Council has provided through HSF will have a significant impact over the next few winter months in supporting those households or individuals who are directly affected by the cost-of-living crisis and the food poverty which results from it.

“We have noted the positive response from organisations receiving the funding and the clear impact it is having in meeting the needs of their own town and rural communities.”