Food bank ‘heartbreak’ for Professor Green on volunteering at Trussell Trust Food Bank in Lewisham

BY CALUM FRASER
calum@slpmedia.co.uk

Professor Green volunteered at a food bank to raise awareness of the issues many families are facing this winter.

The British rapper, whose real name is Stephen Paul Manderson, helped out at the Trussell Trust Food Bank in Malham Road, Lewisham on November 28.

Professor Green, who lives in Lewisham, said: “While spending time at my local food bank, I realised there are so many misconceptions surrounding the way food banks are used.

“It was heartbreaking to speak to some of the people who have had to turn to food banks for emergency support. “For so many people in the UK, it only takes one bit of bad luck – an unexpected expense, a health issue or a delay in their benefits payment to bring everything tumbling down.”

There has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of individuals using the Lewisham services in past year, the bank’s figures show.

In the six-month period from April to September 2017, there were 1,429 vouchers presented, which turned into 2,644 three-day portions of food given out, this went up to 1,665 vouchers and 3,374 three-day portions in the same period this year.

Carol Bostridge, a chief operating officer covering the branches in Lewisham, Catford, Forest Hill and New Cross, said: “Professor Green was genuinely interested in what we do and the people we help.

He listens carefully to clients and volunteers. He was kind and empathetic.”