Food For London Now: Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge hits road on Standard’s ‘rescue mission’ for London

In a bustling depot in north London filled with donated food, Phoebe Waller-Bridge compared the work of The Felix Project to “a rescue mission”.

In a narrow sense, she was referring to the cauliflowers that volunteers had rescued from rotting in a farmer’s fields. But during her time volunteering with us, it gradually became evident that she was also right in a broader sense.

The Evening Standard appeal, in partnership with The Felix Project, is rescuing people on a daily basis from an invisible hunger crisis.

Phoebe contacted me after reading about our campaign in the Evening Standard and asked how she could help. A few days later, the Fleabag star was stacking cherry tomatoes in the back of a Felix delivery van, before tentatively climbing into the driver’s seat. “I’ll see you there — hopefully,” she added nervously.

Our destination was Haringey Play, a community centre and play association for children and families.

Before, it was best known for its adventure park, which is a delight for local children. Now it serves as a vital lifeline for residents in the most deprived part of the borough.

While the adventure park itself has closed, its staff remain in contact with the 387 children on their register.

Director Sereena Keymatlian explained that they realised they needed to provide more than just a playground when children used to turn up and ask for food before joining their friends on the slides.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins Felix Project volunteers - in pictures

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With Felix’s help, they are able to provide food for about 100 families weekly, in a ward that is among the five per cent of most deprived areas in the country.

The queue often stretches around the block. “The food that Felix is giving us goes quickly,” Sereena added.

While collecting yoghurt and fresh fruit, Phoebe and I spoke to Anabela, a single mother of three who volunteers at the centre when she can.

“Many people in the area have lost work since the coronavirus,” she told us. “This place helps a lot. In the first weeks of the lockdown, supermarket shelves were nearly empty.”

As a carer for her youngest son who has complex needs, she has felt the pressure more than most.

We also met Simone, who is locked down with five children in a two-bedroom flat. She is unable to find work and feels trapped at home.

Simone and her children Lliana, 2, Llivia, 7 and Llayla, 5
Lucy Young

“Sometimes I have to sit in the bathroom and close the door to have a breather,” she confided. She has suffered with depression and anxiety, and for her the Felix food deliveries are a lifeline.

After the crisis is over she hopes to start a career in childcare. “I love you on TV by the way,” she beamed at Phoebe.

The Evening Standard has committed to raise a fund of £10 million to provide food for three years for organisations and individuals like those Phoebe and I met.

With our support, The Felix Project will be able to respond to the figures we reveal today — that more than one in 10 London households has already experienced hunger during lockdown.

Paul comes from one such family. His partner is a key worker, a cleaner at a railway station, and he has to stay at home to look after his six-year-old son.

They receive working tax credits and their extended family is also staying with them.

“Without this service, where does the next meal come from?” he said.

Despite the current situation, Haringey Play is planning ahead. A new treehouse and zipline will go up next year.

Evening Standard proprietor Evgeny Lebedev volunteering for the Felix Project
Lucy Young

Future generations of local children will be able to play.

Yet for many people, getting through this crisis is the only thing on their minds.

Simone remains upbeat, telling us that she and her girls look forward to the arrival of The Felix Project in Haringey each week.

She reaches out to hug Phoebe, before stopping herself. “Every time they come, I say thank you so much.”

  • You can also donate to the Haringey Play Association here

Our campaign in a nutshell

WHAT ARE WE DOING? We have launched Food For London Now, an appeal to fund the delivery of food to poor, elderly and vulnerable Londoners who are unable to afford food or are confined to home and at high risk of losing their lives from catching the coronavirus. Monies raised go to our appeal partner, The Felix Project, London’s biggest food surplus distributor, which is part of a co-ordinated food distribution effort taking place across London. The appeal is under the auspices of the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund and run by the London Community Foundation, which manages the Fund.

HOW DOES THE SCHEME WORK? The London Food Alliance has been set up by the Felix Project together with the capital’s two other largest food surplus distributors — FareShare and City Harvest — to pick up nutritious surplus food from suppliers and deliver it in bulk to community hubs in each borough.

HOW WILL FOOD GET TO PEOPLE? Each borough will create hubs to receive the surplus food, divide it into food parcels and deliver them to the doorstep of vulnerable Londoners.

WHO WILL GET FOOD? Boroughs are in touch with local charities, foodbanks and community centres as well as the government to ascertain who is most vulnerable and in need.

HOW HAVE THE FOOD REDISTRIBUTORS DIVIDED UP LONDON? Felix is responsible for co-ordinating surplus supply across 14 boroughs, FareShare 12 and City Harvest 7.

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