Written by Ian Boyle:

Did you know we have a face to face Citizens Advice service running in each of our Foodbank Distribution Centres each week?

Simon, has been in the role now for a few months now and here is what he has to say about his role within the Foodbanks.

How long have you been in the role?  

I started the role on the 3rd April 2024

What is it that you do?

I attend a different Food Bank every day of the week, on Monday’s  and Tuesday’s I attend two  Foodbanks in one day, where I  provide a  support to people, this includes  welfare benefits advice and information, housing issues, debt advice, immigration support, applying to charitable funds and the council for grants and issuing Foodbank and fuel vouchers. I help people apply for benefits such as Personal Independence Payments (PIP) appeal against DWP decisions around PIP and work capability. I also signpost people to specialists when appropriate and give  people the best information to make informed decisions.  If people need budgeting help I will help enrol them onto a course so they are able to manage their finances better or help them get regular, more frequent payments so they don’t have to manage one payment covering a month, which can be difficult for some people.

Why do you do it?

I do it because I feel very strongly about supporting people who are struggling financially and who are facing systemic barriers to living a life that provides them with the mental and physical well being everyone deserves. I have worked for charities over the last 20 years that have been committed to fighting financial hardship. I grew up on a working class estate in London and am very familiar with the struggles low income families are faced with, especially during a cost of living crisis, I also understand how easy it is for anyone, no matter their background, to fall into hardship due to a health condition, redundancy and many other reasons.

What did you do previously?

Before this I worked for Citizens Advice – ‘Help through Hardship Helpline’  and before that I was the the Information Manager for Turn2us, a national charity offering information and practical help to people facing financial insecurity. and was responsible for the design of the Turn2us Grants Search tool – which I use a lot in this role.

How do you think you make an impact and what do you bring to the organisation for guests?

Many people struggling with financial hardship are also often suffering with mental  health issues and are unable to cope with the demands placed upon them by the benefits system.

It is often the most vulnerable groups in society, people with serious health issues, both mental and physical, single parent families, and many marginalised groups such as ex prisoner and victims of substance addiction that need the most support and often just listening and helping someone put together a plan of action to improve their situation makes a huge difference to them

Many of the people I have supported  have seen an uplift in their financial situation which has  lifted much of the pressure and anxiety they had been feeling previously and shifted their  sense of isolation and lack of support, and they know I am here to help should the need arise again!

We think Simon is doing an absolutely brilliant job and feel so lucky to have someone like him in this role.

You can find out more about the Lincoln Foodbank Project here.

Click here to support the work of Lincoln Foodbank and Acts Trust.