Cambridge RAG launches appeal to support food banks in light of COVID-19

The fundraising society is asking for donations to the Trussell Trust


Cambridge RAG, the University’s largest fundraising society, have launched an emergency appeal to offer support to the food banks across the country whose work has become especially crucial in the wake of the pandemic.

Cambridge RAG are asking for your donations to the Trussell Trust, a national charity that supports local food banks throughout the UK, to help those in great need during this outbreak. Food banks are anticipating a significant increase in use during this difficult time so anything you can give could make a big difference. For those of us who want to help out but are confined to our homes, financial assistance may be the most effective way of making a difference.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold in the UK, Cambridge students have found themselves in a period of intense uncertainty. The news that the university has moved into the “red” phase of its response to the pandemic has left many students searching for adequate living arrangements, struggling to return to their home countries, and coming to terms with the cancellation of what was to be, for many, their final Easter Term at Cambridge.

And yet, despite the chaos and confusion, the first instinct of many students has been to offer their help and support to those in need. Welfare officers and faculty representatives have been working to provide assurance and information as promptly as possible. Anonymous submissions have flooded into Kindbridge, Camfess and Crushbridge, spreading positivity and humour to a student population unable to socialise in person. And through networks like COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK, people have been finding ways to help provide resources and support to their local communities.

Many of us, however, are still wondering how best we can help those who need it. With schools closing, many children will lose access to free school meals. Precarious workers are losing wages, the hospitality and arts industries have been plunged into crisis, and many people are dependent on food banks to survive this pandemic.

Donations can be made online at:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rag-food-bank-appeal

Find out what else you can do to help at:

https://www.trusselltrust.org/coronavirus-food-banks