The Lancaster District Food Justice Partnership (LDFJP) has been granted charitable status, making it better able to help people facing food poverty in the district.
This milestone marks a significant step forward in the organisation’s mission to ensure everyone in the Lancaster District has access to affordable, nourishing food.
Its first major initiative as a registered charity will be the Winter Community Support Programme, launching this December and January.
This effort will offer extra food support, community meals, and access to warm spaces - especially crucial during the winter period when financial pressures and social isolation peak.
Dusty Thomas, chair of LDFJP, said: “It’s a great achievement for the Lancaster District Food Justice Partnership to become a charity.
“We will now be able to hold our own funds, enabling us to apply for larger grants that can be shared with and directly support our Food Clubs and Food Banks.”
Since its formation in 2018, the LDFJP has brought together local organisations and individuals committed to reducing food poverty across the district.
Working with its members including its two food banks and 12 member food clubs, the partnership currently supports over 1,200 households, coordinating resources and sharing best practices to address growing community needs.
However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the demand for food support has surged — just as surplus food supplies and grant funding have declined.
In response to this challenge and the expansion of its work, the LDFJP applied for charitable status to strengthen its operations and future sustainability.
Harriet Phipps, development worker for the LDFJP, added: “Becoming a charity gives us the opportunity to take a more strategic and coordinated approach to reducing food poverty across Lancaster and Morecambe.
“Last Christmas, many of our food clubs reported a sharp rise in families struggling to access food, particularly around Christmas Day.
“This year, we aim to expand our support across Lancaster and Morecambe through additional food clubs and community meals, to ensure no one goes hungry or feels alone.”
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