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Luton Foodbank Newsletter – January 2026
Bringing you exciting events, community updates, and ways to get involved.
Contents
New Year, Building a Stronger Luton Together
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. While January often brings a sense of fresh starts, for many in our town, the “January Blues” are eclipsed by the harsh reality of the cost-of-living crisis. This month, we are focusing on the incredible community efforts that saw us through the winter and the essential skills we are building to create a hunger-free future for Luton.
The Reality We Face: 2026 Vision
The national picture remains challenging. Recent data from the Trussell Trust and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation shows that roughly 1 in 4 children in the UK are living in poverty.
Locally, families in Luton are still facing a difficult “waiting gap” as they balance rising costs against the basic necessity of food. Approximately 9.9% of households are living in destitution — the most extreme level of poverty. Your support is the bridge helping over 20,000 residents currently unable to afford basic living essentials.
In January, we distributed 1,668 food parcels to local families:
- 1,149 adult parcels
- 519 child parcels
Every parcel we distribute represents a person, a family, and a story — and it is your support that makes each one possible. Thanks to your generosity, our Reverse Advent campaign was a remarkable success, collecting more than 19,000 items. We are so grateful to everyone who chose to count down the days with a donation.
Winter Appeal Success: Over £22,000 Raised
In a powerful show of community unity, the Inspire FM Winter Appeal, run in partnership with Crisis Aid, raised over £11,000. Thanks to Crisis Aid’s match-funding commitment, this total was doubled to over £22,000. Supported by 13 local mosques and the Bedfordshire Progressive Synagogue, these funds are critical in helping families forced to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table this winter.
Read the full story on Luton Today:
Inspire FM leads Luton’s Faith Communities to raise over £22,000 for Luton Foodbank
Campaigns & Fundraising
Let’s Eat Together 2026 is a partnership initiative with Inspire FM, Luton Point, Sunnah Charity, and Chiltern Teaching School. As the beneficiary charity, we are proud to lead an initiative that brings schools across Luton together for community Iftars, ensuring no child is left out due to financial circumstances. This collaborative effort reflects our shared commitment to inclusion, dignity, and ensuring every young person feels part of their school community.
Read the full story on Luton Today:
Luton schools unite for ‘Let’s Eat Together’ 2026
We Shall Overcome Luton 2026
A massive thank you to Frankie Prazer and Community Events Music Management for organising a live music solidarity event on Saturday, 24th January at The George II. The event featured a fantastic lineup including headliner Joe Solo and raised £800 in cash donations, along with six bags of donated food. Every penny and item donated went directly to support local families in need. A huge thank you to everyone who donated, attended, performed, volunteered, or supported the event, proof of what we can achieve together in solidarity.
High Sheriff Award
We are honoured that the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire presented Luton Foodbank with an award this month, recognising the tireless work of our team and volunteers in supporting local families. This award is a tribute to everyone who donates, volunteers, supports, and stands with us to tackle food poverty in Luton.
Young Ambassadors: Making a Difference in Luton.
Help your students lead change in Luton. We are inviting schools across Luton to join our Young Ambassador Programme, a platform where students grow as leaders, champion social action, and make a real difference for families in our town.
By taking part, your pupils can work towards bronze, silver, and gold ambassadorships, building confidence and skills along the way. Gold Ambassadors will be invited to a special summer celebration to showcase their achievements and receive certificates from local dignitaries.
Register your school for the Young Ambassador Programme today: Young Ambassadors
Food Club – Supporting Local Families
Our Food Club provides an additional layer of support for people facing ongoing hardship, including those experiencing in work poverty, older residents, and individuals who have needed to use the foodbank more than five times. It offers a dignified, empowering alternative alongside our emergency food parcels. Members make a small £5 contribution, which allows them to choose the items that best suit their household, giving families greater flexibility and control during challenging times.
We are now looking to expand our network of referral partners. If your organisation supports individuals or families who are struggling despite being in work, or those who would benefit from a more consistent, choice-based model of support, we would love to collaborate. Get in touch to become a referrer, learn more about how the Food Club works, or explore partnership opportunities.
Learn more and join here: Food Club
Partnerships in Action
This week, Luton Foodbank joined Utilita Giving and partner charities to reflect on progress, discuss Part 2 of OCTA, and explore our shared mission to support people in need. The meeting also introduced the U Give Shop, which provides practical support with essential household items, helping to transform lives.
A couple of weeks ago, Utilita Giving also hosted a Takeover Day at Luton Town Football Club, where an impressive 350kg of food was collected alongside generous donations to support families facing food and fuel poverty.
From Crisis to Confidence: Jenny’s Story
Jenny is a woman in her 20s living alone with long-term health conditions and limited family support. Rising utility costs and financial uncertainty while awaiting a PIP decision made it difficult to manage daily life.
We supported Jenny with food, fuel, and hygiene packs, helped her review energy usage, register for the Priority Services Register, and access schemes like WaterSure. Through ongoing guidance and reassurance, she discovered she had been overcharged on energy bills, feels less anxious, and reports feeling supported rather than alone.
“I am so grateful for your support and for having someone I can rely on to talk to.”
Essential Skills Workshops: Building Confidence and Control
Our Essential Skills Workshops are empowering people across Luton to build real crisis resilience, the confidence, knowledge, and practical tools needed to stay steady when rising costs put pressure on already stretched budgets. These sessions help participants strengthen their ability to manage money, plan ahead, shop smarter, and navigate food and energy costs with greater control.
Where we deliver these workshops: Delivered in community centres, churches, women’s services, and schools across the town — including Kokni Community Centre, Stopsley Baptist Church, Bushmead, William Austin, The Meads, Icknield and Whitefield Primary Schools, Women’s Aid, and St Andrews Church — these workshops are reaching people where support matters most.
What people are learning: The impact has been powerful. Participants tell us they are learning how to shop more effectively without paying extra for brands, gaining clarity over their spending, and discovering new ways to save. Many share that they now feel less stressed, more in control, and better equipped to manage winter pressures on food and energy.
Real impacts we are seeing: These workshops are more than training sessions — they are helping people rebuild confidence, strengthen independence, and develop the practical resilience needed to prevent a short-term challenge from becoming a crisis.
Learn more and join here: Essential Skills
Primary Schools Colour Run (1st – 12th June):
Our exciting Primary Schools Colour Run is back — and we cannot wait to celebrate with schools across Luton! Between 1st and 12th June, schools will receive a full Colour Run pack with everything they need, and pupils can collect sponsorship as they complete the run on school grounds. This lively, joyfilled event encourages teamwork, movement, and creativity — all while raising vital funds to support families in our town.
There are fantastic prizes to be won, including stickers, certificates, wristbands, yoyos, and trophies for the highestfundraising child in each school. The topfundraising school will also receive a special trophy.
Last year’s champions, Downside Primary School, raised thousands of pounds — and now we are inviting all schools to take on the challenge.
Can your school beat their record this year?
Beyond the excitement, the Colour Run also promotes healthy exercise and inspires families to keep children active long after the event. Many schools use the run as a springboard to encourage pupils to join their local Junior Parkrun, helping to build lifelong habits around wellbeing, fun, and community participation.
Learn more and join here: Primary School Run
Luton Foodbank 5k Charity Colour Run (4th July)
Our much-loved 5k Charity Colour Run returns on Saturday 4th July — a vibrant celebration for all ages at Wardown Park. Participants can run, jog, or walk the 5km route while being showered with coloured powder, making it a joyful, family friendly event that brings the whole community together.
Those who register by 28th February can take advantage of the Early Bird discount, with all participants receiving sunglasses, an official Colour Run t-shirt, and a medal.
We also have exciting sponsorship opportunities, with businesses invited to sponsor our Colour Stations and help raise vital funds to ensure no one in Luton goes hungry.
This year, we are encouraging participants to embrace healthy living by joining their local Junior Parkrun or Parkrun as part of their training. It is a fun, accessible way to get active, build confidence, and prepare for the Colour Run — all while supporting an event that raises essential funds for families in need.
Train with us, get active, and make a difference — one colourful step at a time.
Learn more and register here: Register for Colour Run
BLCF and Luton Rising
We recently had an incredibly productive day at the Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) CIF Peer Learning Event. It was a powerful reminder of why strategic partnerships are the backbone of the charity sector.
Business Support
Local businesses play a vital role in supporting our work, and we are grateful to every organisation that steps forward to help families in our town. Many businesses volunteer with us weekly, others give financially or collect food, and some offer practical services that make a real difference.
We recently welcomed Kasim from Go Cars, whose team provides essential free deliveries to households who are unable to collect. Kasim shared his admiration for the care and precision behind our operations: “I was surprised to see just how meticulous the operations are.”
Partnerships like these ensure we can continue reaching people safely, quickly, and with dignity — and we deeply appreciate every business that stands with us.
If your business wants to get involved: Business Sponsorship – Luton FoodBank
Need Support or Advice?
If you or someone you know needs food, information, or guidance, our friendly advisers are here to help. We can provide support with budgeting, benefits, energy bills, or any questions about accessing services.
Weekend Volunteer Support: Collection Volunteers
We need flexible volunteers to help with supermarket collections, which only require about 2 hours of your time on a weekend shift between 9am to 3pm!
Date | Location |
Saturday, 6th December | Asda |
Saturday, 20th December | Tesco |
Get Involved
The visit by the university students was a powerful reminder of how much we rely on dedicated individuals. If their interest in our work inspires you, please consider joining our team!
Make a Donation
Help fund essential food parcels for individuals and families in crisis: Donate Here.
Volunteering
Join our amazing team of volunteers and make a real difference in your community: Sign up to Volunteer
Boost your Business while Giving Back to the Community
Partner with us to create lasting impact through sponsorship or corporate support: Learn More
Together, we can help ensure that no one in Luton goes hungry.
Thank You
Thank you for standing with us in the fight against food poverty. Every act of kindness brings us closer to a hunger-free Luton.