The Pathfinder service, based at Coventry Foodbank’s headquarters in Binley, works with partners to offer practical and financial support, and has gone on to make a huge impact on reducing the number of local foodbank users from 30,000 to 21,000 a year.
Case Study A
A lady in her 60s came into our Willenhall food bank centre struggling with the cost of living. She was advised to apply for the Council’s Household Support Fund and given vouchers for a Social Supermarket and three fuel vouchers. On calling her again, she mentioned that she did not get the last two fuel payments and she wasn’t sure why (they had been sent but she had missed the messages). We contacted the Council on her behalf and they were re-sent. We have signposted her to CAP and Severn Trent Water Big Difference. On the calls she seemed quite cheerful but needed someone to talk to. The volunteers have all had really nice conversations with her. She is very grateful for our concern. She is still struggling but trying to make the best of it.
Case Study B
A man came into Foleshill food bank struggling with his mental health and was obviously very anxious. He explained he was originally from Iraq and has witnessed some awful things that he is struggling to deal with. He lives with his mother who is disabled and struggling financially too. The team at the food bank used the Step app to signpost him to Mind and the Refugee and Migrant Centre. They also scheduled a call back where he was signposted to the refugee centre to ask for support regarding his finances and contacted the council to ask for a Care Act assessment for his mother whom he cares for. The volunteer called back again three weeks later to find the man’s mental health is much better but he is still struggling with bills and food. He has received help from the Refugee and Migrant Centre and believes that he will have a job soon. He is managing at present.
Case Study C
He came into Queen’s Road Baptist Church food bank centre due to overpayments because of a benefit advance. The rising cost of essentials plus a change in his existing physical health condition has added to his problems. He has ongoing health issues and finds it hard to attend his hospital appointments at the moment because of having to pay for the bus journeys. He is applying for PIP with help from his son. We suggested he contact his energy provider to discuss the variation in his monthly bills and “EDF gave him £45 electric and £35 credit for his next bill. We also suggested he speak to the DWP about lessening his monthly payments because the amount he has to pay back monthly is obviously causing him hardship. He got in touch with the Law Centre who explained the terminology to use in his appeal. The DWP lessened his repayments.
Case Study D
A young lady came into the food bank because she was “struggling to make ends meet”. She is a student and was finding it difficult to find a job that fit into her studies that paid enough. She was given an appointment with the Call Back team who signposted her to job fairs in Coventry and gave her the details of The Job Shop. By the time of her second call back two weeks later she had a job because of using the information she received. She is still struggling with food and the cost of essentials but the job is topping them up so she doesn’t have to borrow for now.
Case Study E
A lady came into Willenhall food bank centre. She had a long term health condition, three children and her husband was unable to find work. Using the Step app she was signposted to CAP and Coventry Independent Advice services to help her with benefit checks. She has managed to successfully apply for PIP and has been able to pay her rent arrears off from her benefits which means she is now able to move to a ground accommodation as she is struggling with the stairs. She said she had contacted the Household Support Fund but didn’t fill the form in as it was going to take four weeks for the outcome. A volunteer encouraged her to apply anyway.
Case Study F
A lady came into a food bank centre at Queen’s Road Baptist Church who was struggling as she was a single parent with a small baby. She worked in a care home but all her wages went on her rent. She was being supported most of the time by a social supermarket with food. A call back volunteer spoke to her a week later and asked if she had started claiming child benefit but she said she didn’t think she was entitled to it. We sent her the number of the benefits agency for child benefit and suggested that she spoke to her health visitor. When we called a second time she said that she had now applied for child benefit and has spoken to her health visitor. She was now getting help from Carriers of Hope and managing.
Case Study G
A woman came into Canley food bank centre because of a benefit deduction due to a benefit advance. She was struggling a lot at the moment and the centre used the Step app to text her information regarding the Household Support Fund and Big Difference Scheme. When a volunteer spoke to her they also suggested she could get in touch with Adult Social Care as she was struggling with the activities of daily living and her daughter was helping her with these tasks. We called her back in a few weeks and she had been in touch with Adult Social Care and was waiting for the OT to come out and assess the situation. She hadn’t applied for the HSF and would welcome support to do it as she didn’t have the internet. A volunteer filled out the form with her and she received three fuel payments and a voucher to go to a Social Supermarket.
Case Study H
A woman came into Walsgrave food bank centre and she was struggling with her physical health and grieving for her daughter who passed away two years ago. She was referred for a call back and a volunteer spoke to her about getting some counselling. She said she refused to have any but would now reconsider. She is bi-polar and physically disabled. She is getting some help from her son and ex-husband with whom she has a fairly good relationship. She has had a food voucher but is struggling with cleaning supplies and toilet roll. We sent her a Sainsbury’s voucher for £20. She had now accepted some help with counselling, which she was very happy with. She continues to struggle with the cost of living but is grateful that her ex-husband is helping her with caring.
Visit: https://coventry.foodbank.org.uk/
Find out more about Pathfinder and why its future is uncertain here.
