Coventry Foodbank Pathfinder support service at risk of closure

A service providing support to people using a city food bank is under threat of closure as funding runs dry.

Coventry Foodbank launched the Pathfinder project three years ago as a spin-off to its main operation.

Project manager Hugh McNeill said of the ethos: “It’s great to give people food to support them when they’re hungry, but if we can actually find out the reasons why they’ve come to Foodbank and actually work on those reasons, we can actually get them the help and support that they need.”

But he added about £40,000 was needed to keep Pathfinder going for the next two years. As things stand, funding is due to run out next month.

Volunteers working for Pathfinder operate in an office above the main food bank.

Susan Rees, who runs a hair and beauty salon in the city and helps out with the scheme every Wednesday, said there were options amid funding pressures.

“We can try and see if we can get further support, refer [people] to Citizens Advice if they need it, tap into different grants if they need help with anything,” she said.

But Pathfinder itself will be gone, the team fears, without a funding injection, a situation potentially affecting a vast amount of people. So far, more than 3,500 have been helped since the launch of the service.

Mr McNeill said the food bank itself was also struggling for donations, adding: “Normally at this time of year, there would be a lot more stock.”

He said: “With the cost-of-living crisis, people who normally would supply or give us food aren’t in that position to do so.”

Appealing for help, he said: “If there’s an organisation or a business, or even an individual, that would like to support us in the work that we’re doing here at Foodbank and through the Pathfinder project, we’d really really appreciate it.”