News / Child Hunger
Fundraiser started in response to ‘dire food parcels provided to those in need’
A response to inadequate Government support has prompted a 24-year-old from Bedminster to support families in need.
Melanie Vaxevanakis, a documentary photographer and filmmaker, is raising £1,000 to buy food vouchers to supplement food parcels.
The MAZI Project is the latest venture to come out of the food alternatives supplied to families as an alternative to free school meals.
is needed now More than ever
Laura Bennett, known as @mama.massive on Instagram, has been raising money and a group of friends from Southville have also created a Gofundme. This is in addition to three mums in Barton Hill launching the Sunday Kitchen, a community initiative to provide hot food for families in the area, support from FareShare South West and work by local food banks.
The Plough, Easton Cowboys & Cowgirls Sports and Social Club, The Pipe & Slippers, The Lion, The Love Inn & the Star and Garter also launched a community care package scheme and a fundraiser has been launched to enable them to keep the scheme running.
The outcry over the free school meals parcels has prompted yet another u-turn from the Government, which has promised a return to a voucher system rather than food bags provided by a privately contracted company.
Melanie Vaxevanakis has created the fundraiser to help families in need. Photo: Melanie Vaxevanakis
“I decided this weekend to create this new initiative in reaction to last week’s dire food parcels provided to those in need,” says Melanie. “It has happened very quickly.
“Bristol is such a central hub for food in the UK, it is part of its culture and I believe what it does best is create stories within food which has enabled and empowered communities in the city.”
Melanie, who named the project MAZI as it means together in Greek, the country she’s from, hopes to widen the project as it grows.
“As someone who loves food and believes in the power of it to create experiences, memories and an opportunity to educate on the world and its history,” she says.
“I want to work with local farms, food businesses and chefs to help bring new flavours, recipes and excitement around food to disadvantage children and families.
“I would like to build a network of charities and organisations that are on the frontline of the UK’s food crisis so we can understand how we can help.”
A food parcel given to one of the families Melanie has supported. Photo: Erika Coombs
For now, the £1,000 raised will be distributed between parents in the city. Melanie will buy food vouchers of a gift card for the nearest supermarket to each family for them to supplement their food parcels, with Melanie saying: “I want to help supplement what they are missing from the food parcels and even vouchers they have been receiving to ensure each child has access to a nutritious meal and for the parents to feel a sense of security in the time of global crisis.
Main photo of a food parcel to feed two children for ten days: The MAZI Project
Read more: Grassroots action to ensure children in Bristol don’t go hungry
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