Blackpool Food Bank Fights for Survival, Seeks Urgent Funding

In November 2025, the Blackpool Big Food Project, a vital community lifeline that has been providing thousands of meals weekly to the UK's most deprived local authority for over a decade, is facing the prospect of closure in the coming months. The charity's chief executive, Claire Powell, has issued a desperate appeal for urgent funding to keep the project running.

The Big Food Project has become a major collaborative effort, distributing hundreds of tonnes of food and offering crucial financial advice to locals in Blackpool, Fylde, and Wyre. However, the organization is now grappling with "significant and critical financial challenges" that threaten its ability to continue operations.

To address this crisis, the Big Food Project has launched two key initiatives. The Festive Feed campaign is seeking public donations to provide Christmas meals for project dependents, while the 26 for '26 initiative is calling on local businesses to secure the future of food support across the Fylde coast. With families in the community struggling to afford basic necessities like food, the project's services have become increasingly vital, especially during the winter months when demand surges.

Without the Big Food Project, the community would suffer a "significant loss," as the charity works with over 120 partners to provide food and support to those in need. Volunteers like Lisa Parkinson, who have benefited from the project's services, are now giving back to the organization, highlighting the transformative impact it has had on people's lives.