Tracey Dunn reports from the Building a National Right to Food Movement event, held at the Black-E as part of The World Transformed festival.

Recording of Dave Kelly speaking at the event

A packed house for this event at The World Transformed festival of radical politics, art and culture. The panel included Dave Kelly and Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne from ‘Fans Supporting Food Banks’.

‘Fans Supporting Foodbanks’ was set up in 2015 with the aim of reducing poverty and hunger. It started with a wheelie bin outside a football ground and asking fans to bring a tin or other non perishables for the local community in need of food. It has grown to needing a huge van to transport each matches food donations which may weigh a ton!!!

Dave Kelly is hoping for the day when the organisation doesn’t exist! ‘Shut us Down’ is what they long for but unfortunately the new Tory government has just declared a ‘War on our community’ ”The system is completely broken for our Liverpool communities and we need to demand change”.

Ian Byrne says it’s like a sticking plaster on the problem but there really needs to be a political solution. Ian is pushing for the ‘Right to Food’ everywhere there are hungry people. There is a need to make more people aware of how bad the situation is so they know about the need for food banks. We need to be banging a door down in government as hunger is a political choice. There should be universal free school meals and community kitchens, 2 of the 5 points they push for. Next month a Liverpool school will be taken over by them and turned into a free restaurant from 5-7pm. A Scouse kitchen for pupils and their extended families around tables.

The Bakers union will be putting a paper out on this hunger issue; the United Nations should be speaking globally about it too. Ian is off to the Vatican shortly and will be speaking about ‘The Right to Food’ when there.