The Trussell Trust

[ContentCrunch]

Interesting indeed, I work for council children’s services and did a ring around before Christmas of all local support services to check their opening hours and yes of course our local TT branch was CLOSED over the Christmas period and when I spoke to them and said “so the last day we can do referrals is Wednesday 21st? shall I publish that with our networks? She said. Oh yes suppose we better had tell people (this was Monday) just made me think no thought for those in need whatsoever. I was cross. We are open. Come get fed with us.

 

[Sunflower91]

I’m always cautious on which charities I donate to because one of my friends has worked with a lot of them over the years and something doesn’t sit right when they tell me they see they’re spending a lot of money on research a year (100k+ in some cases). I’m talking the kind of research they gets people to spend more money, not how they can help their causes more. I’ve no doubt TT does the same.

 

[nienoe]

My mum was literally chased up the street by a chugger once. They are vile.

The rules about ‘chugging’ or face to face fundraising were changed several years ago - they cannot move more than three feet (towards) an individual whilst engaging them.

you can report them if so, and their employer will be fined. Have a look next time you see them, I’d be surprised if you see them move much.

Fundraising and Charity Work are completely different things, but somehow always find themselves lumped together. Fundraising is always the one that makes me most uneasy, as it is always so ripe for fraudulent activity.

It's also very interesting when you work for a charity to see lots of money going in, and seemingly becoming unaccounted for. I remember working for Mind and most of the workers contracts were the result of bidding for work that was being outsourced by councils, community schemes etc. The salary the workers got paid was often skimmed, so mind always got a direct cut. Then after all that you had the fundraising money. It was often difficult to see where that all went.

Charities in the UK are actually quite heavily regulated. For example, international charity expenditure is actually subject to a greater level of scrutiny than a lot of corporate or government spending.

Legally, UK charities must publish an annual report and financial breakdowns (if their income is over £25k) - these must be submitted to the charity commission, the UK body which regulates charities . These must be made available to the public on request - most share online.

Annual Reports and finances increase transparency and accountability in the charity sector and help supporters and people who donate better understand the work the charity does.

link to the Trussell Trust report -income and expenditure towards the end:

https://www.trusselltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/01/Trussell-Trust-Annual-Report-and-Accounts-2021.pdf

 

[Yel]

they’re spending a lot of money on research a year (100k+ in some cases). I’m talking the kind of research they gets people to spend more money, not how they can help their causes more. I’ve no doubt TT does the same.

This raises so many questions with the TT because they don't need to spend any time or money arguing that no one should go hungry . Literally no one disagrees with that.

So where exactly does all their money spent on research and promotion to further their existence go? The press releases and social media posts are barely one full time job.

 

[Sunflower91]

This raises so many questions with the TT because they don't need to spend any time or money arguing that no one should go hungry . Literally no one disagrees with that.

So where exactly does all their money spent on research and promotion to further their existence go? The press releases and social media posts are barely one full time job.

I agree. I work in a slightly different area to my friend and from what I know about research and applying it the charities space i imagine they want to know how to get more donations so they have a bigger market share (and more money) than competitors. And to do that I’d imagine they’d ask what causes you’re investing in and what would make you send money to them. I imagine they can also employ techniques to work out where their best places for return on investment would be, where the easy targets for donators are and how to generally become more appealing to the masses or how they are perceived by the general public. Some of that can be a good thing (heightening awareness so people know they exist and are helping people) but the bottom line is usually getting more money.

A basic project would be anywhere from £10k and complicated ones would be £100k plus although if they have a team that can do it all themselves it can be cheaper. If they go to a provider that cost is split on project management, programming a survey, sample costs (who they invite to the survey), any stats needed, plonking it all in PowerPoint, presenting it to people. If they go down a focus group/sending people out to speak to people face to face, that can also be expensive.

Problem is a lot research isn’t great, a lot of businesses operate on a use it or lose it basis (have a budget to spend and if they don’t then they get less and less each year), can’t say if charities and TT are the same having never worked in that area. But what I do know is there’s some charities out there where their offices cost a fortune in rent a year, prime real estate, no expenses spared and the top bosses are on eye watering money.

if you check out some of the research awards there’s a load of charities on the nominee lists or even winners year on year.

 

[LennyBriscoe]

It’s all such a minefield! I prefer to buy items and pass them on to foodbanks via the supermarket, we do collections at work and sometimes my son’s school do drives too. Then I feel comfortable knowing that the stuff will go directly to the people who really need it.

I just had a look on the TT website and there are only 10 foodbanks coming up for me in the whole of Scotland. There are hopefully many other ones but I wonder if the cost and referral process puts organisers off becoming TT. That’s a lot of money to a church/small organisation to pay out.

I clicked on one in my area and it was open between 1 and 3 today and is now closed until Wednesday. What if there aren’t any other foodbanks in the area? Are people given enough to last over a long weekend, or a voucher? One is in Royal Deeside and it doesn’t look like TT are in affiliation with anyone else so are people expected to make their way to Aberdeen over a 4-day weekend to possibly be turned away because there isn’t enough food for people who live in the area?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an advert for TT and this is maybe just me but I’m a bit weird of charities who ask for set amounts. “£31 will do this” “£19 will give someone this”. Often there’s an (or what you can afford) in small print but I do think a lot of people want to help, there’s just so so many people now who we could help. And people who genuinely want to help might feel bad if they can’t afford a set amount.

And what will always go against TT for me is their involvement with Jack Monroe!

 

[CabalofBolorneaise]

It’s all such a minefield! I prefer to buy items and pass them on to foodbanks via the supermarket, we do collections at work and sometimes my son’s school do drives too. Then I feel comfortable knowing that the stuff will go directly to the people who really need it.

I just had a look on the TT website and there are only 10 foodbanks coming up for me in the whole of Scotland. There are hopefully many other ones but I wonder if the cost and referral process puts organisers off becoming TT. That’s a lot of money to a church/small organisation to pay out.

I clicked on one in my area and it was open between 1 and 3 today and is now closed until Wednesday. What if there aren’t any other foodbanks in the area? Are people given enough to last over a long weekend, or a voucher? One is in Royal Deeside and it doesn’t look like TT are in affiliation with anyone else so are people expected to make their way to Aberdeen over a 4-day weekend to possibly be turned away because there isn’t enough food for people who live in the area?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an advert for TT and this is maybe just me but I’m a bit weird of charities who ask for set amounts. “£31 will do this” “£19 will give someone this”. Often there’s an (or what you can afford) in small print but I do think a lot of people want to help, there’s just so so many people now who we could help. And people who genuinely want to help might feel bad if they can’t afford a set amount.

And what will always go against TT for me is their involvement with Jack Monroe!

This is what gets me most really, that you search and there’s nothing yet they don’t offer any sort of signposting to other orgs.

Maybe they’ll say they don’t have time to vet small ones and there might well be truth to that, but what about eg Salvation Army (I know they have their own set of issues but they’re not a scam and many TT operate in churches so frankly big overlap of issues) or at least a link to the local council’s page on a relevant topic?

It just seems so heartless, they’re not Asda trying to hold onto market share, there’s zero disadvantage for them in highlighting other options and especially so in areas they don’t cover.

 

[Merpedy]

there’s zero disadvantage for them in highlighting other options and especially so in areas they don’t cover.

but if people start donating to those places the money available to them (or their employees) will have to be lowered. Though I reckon they’d just start closing food banks/charity shops instead before actually lowering employee salaries


RE the specific amounts: that’s probably where their research goes? I wonder how much research goes into getting the most amount of money - like when they give you a “fake” choice when you’re buying something to encourage you to spend more money

 

[Lazarus]

Trussell Trust records £16m deficit amid six-fold rise in food bank grants

www.civilsociety.co.uk

Interesting information.

 

[mickeycat]

It’s all such a minefield! I prefer to buy items and pass them on to foodbanks via the supermarket, we do collections at work and sometimes my son’s school do drives too. Then I feel comfortable knowing that the stuff will go directly to the people who really need it.

I just had a look on the TT website and there are only 10 foodbanks coming up for me in the whole of Scotland. There are hopefully many other ones but I wonder if the cost and referral process puts organisers off becoming TT. That’s a lot of money to a church/small organisation to pay out.

I clicked on one in my area and it was open between 1 and 3 today and is now closed until Wednesday. What if there aren’t any other foodbanks in the area? Are people given enough to last over a long weekend, or a voucher? One is in Royal Deeside and it doesn’t look like TT are in affiliation with anyone else so are people expected to make their way to Aberdeen over a 4-day weekend to possibly be turned away because there isn’t enough food for people who live in the area?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an advert for TT and this is maybe just me but I’m a bit weird of charities who ask for set amounts. “£31 will do this” “£19 will give someone this”. Often there’s an (or what you can afford) in small print but I do think a lot of people want to help, there’s just so so many people now who we could help. And people who genuinely want to help might feel bad if they can’t afford a set amount.

And what will always go against TT for me is their involvement with Jack Monroe!

Yes, I think there are a lot of unofficial local community groups giving out food, so they probably wouldn't come up in searches. I see a lot of posts in local FB groups for example. I know of at least two schools in Inverurie who have a sort of food bank - basically shelves and boxes near the doors that people can put into and take from.
Also community support groups in various villages run by local volunteers offering food, warm spaces etc.
Cfine in Aberdeen do good stuff too.
These are definitely the kind of groups I prefer to give to as well - anyone with connections to grifty Influencers can do one!

 

[timemoveson]

Yes, I think there are a lot of unofficial local community groups giving out food, so they probably wouldn't come up in searches. I see a lot of posts in local FB groups for example. I know of at least two schools in Inverurie who have a sort of food bank - basically shelves and boxes near the doors that people can put into and take from.
Also community support groups in various villages run by local volunteers offering food, warm spaces etc.
Cfine in Aberdeen do good stuff too.
These are definitely the kind of groups I prefer to give to as well - anyone with connections to grifty Influencers can do one!

my old college has their own one in the student's union, meals cooked by catering students were available as well as fruits, cans and cereals. It was a lifeline for so many when I was there. You wouldn't know about it unless you were a student though

 

[mickeycat]

So I was just on FB and a friend had shared a post from a local foodbank. As you do, I ended up having a scroll through their page and they were asking for donations and saying to use an app to see what's needed at your local foodbank.
Anyway, the app is called "Bankthefood" and you can search with your postcodes for local foodbanks and see what they urgently need, find drop off points etc. It's quite good.

 

[Tabitha D]

Just saw this thread on Twitter re the Trussell Trust - not necessarily new info to Tattlers, but if it helps to spread the message ..

 

[VeniVidiVicki]

Just saw this thread on Twitter re the Trussell Trust - not necessarily new info to Tattlers, but if it helps to spread the message ..

It’s quite astounding how many people set up monthly direct debits to charities when they don’t actually know what they do

 

[Shimmering]

I hate the fact I once donated 30 quid to them

 

[Tabitha D]

It’s quite astounding how many people set up monthly direct debits to charities when they don’t actually know what they do

Exactly. So many people don’t look further than the name and whether it sounds like a good cause. In the case of Trussell Trust, many people just assume that their money is putting food on people’s tables. So much better to contribute to your local food bank because at least you have more visibility as to where it’s going.

Another example (for me) is cancer charities. Something like Cancer Research is so massive, you’ll never really know where your money goes. It’s just all a bit vague (not all “grants” for research are that worthwhile, being cynical). I don’t mean there’s any shenanigans or anything with that particular charity - just that your little bake sale or whatever is tiny to them and is going to get lost among all the big corporate donations and you’ll never know if you’re making a difference. So in my case I prefer to donate to my local hospice because I know them and can see what they do.

 

[CabalofBolorneaise]

Exactly. So many people don’t look further than the name and whether it sounds like a good cause. In the case of Trussell Trust, many people just assume that their money is putting food on people’s tables. So much better to contribute to your local food bank because at least you have more visibility as to where it’s going.

Another example (for me) is cancer charities. Something like Cancer Research is so massive, you’ll never really know where your money goes. It’s just all a bit vague (not all “grants” for research are that worthwhile, being cynical). I don’t mean there’s any shenanigans or anything with that particular charity - just that your little bake sale or whatever is tiny to them and is going to get lost among all the big corporate donations and you’ll never know if you’re making a difference. So in my case I prefer to donate to my local hospice because I know them and can see what they do.

It’s a bit off topic but hopefully allowable due to the theme of big charities etc?

I don’t donate to cancer research because they’re one of the charities known to directly target vulnerable people and pressure them into taking out and increasing their donations. This article is a few years old now but I know of it happening more recently from CRUK too : https://www.archive.is/oldest/https...ler-room-tactics-pressuring-vulnerable-people

I also question any charities that use street recruiting aka chuggers or door knockers as realistically if most adults were stopped and asked for their bank details or asked by someone knocking on their door, they’ll say no - it’s again targeting the most vulnerable to try to pressure them in public or in their own homes. (Bucket collecting of change or just signatures for a petition obviously totally different)

Also things like this below aren’t uncommon from CRUK, they largely get away with a lot of very dodgy tactics because they’re a charity and cancer is obviously such an emotive topic.

Cancer Research and Genetics UK and Recycle Proline Ltd: December 2022

Read the summary.

www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk

 

[nienoe]

I understand the perspectives re: regular donations to the Trussell Trust, and absolutely believe and respect that which charities you give to is a personal choice.

However, what I haven’t seen mentioned here and don’t think there’s much awareness of us that there is actually a need for the sort of work the main Trussell Trust charity does. Ad hoc food parcels aren’t going to fix a long term problem. Food poverty (like almost every kind of poverty) is systemic - the reasons behind it are deep rooted and complex. In order to address these, you need to lobby government, research to evidence claims, campaigns to get public support which can influence policy change. This is what monthly donations go towards - long term change addressing the root causes of the issue.

 

[CabalofBolorneaise]

I understand the perspectives re: regular donations to the Trussell Trust, and absolutely believe and respect that which charities you give to is a personal choice.

However, what I haven’t seen mentioned here and don’t think there’s much awareness of us that there is actually a need for the sort of work the main Trussell Trust charity does. Ad hoc food parcels aren’t going to fix a long term problem. Food poverty (like almost every kind of poverty) is systemic - the reasons behind it are deep rooted and complex. In order to address these, you need to lobby government, research to evidence claims, campaigns to get public support which can influence policy change. This is what monthly donations go towards - long term change addressing the root causes of the issue.

I’m just not convinced that the TT does that much, and the research that focuses on their food banks specifically is automatically skewed as they charge to be a member and have no interest in operating in some of the most deprived areas.

The Joseph Rowntree foundation does far more for this side than the TT do.

 

[nienoe]

I’m just not convinced that the TT does that much, and the research that focuses on their food banks specifically is automatically skewed as they charge to be a member and have no interest in operating in some of the most deprived areas.

The Joseph Rowntree foundation does far more for this side than the TT do.

Their research focusses on their Foodbanks because that’s where they can get consistent data from. You can read about what they do with their funding in their annual report.

And as for Trussell Trust not doing that much … I mean, there’s a thread on here about them - they’re a household name - they’ve started umpteen conversations about food poverty - them and their cause are prescient in public consciousness.
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It’s also important to remember that profit making companies spend millions influencing government and policy, both publicly and behind the scenes. For Trussell trust to be generating conversations in parliament is actually quite impressive if you think about their funding compared to shady corporates.