Trending
Food banks criticised over decision to close for Queen’s funeral
‘I’m not altogether sure that one of the things the late Queen would regard as people ‘showing respect’ is food banks closing for the day’
Food banks across the UK have been criticised over their decision to close for Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
Over the last couple of days, a number of businesses and shops have been announcing their plans to shut on the day of the late monarch’s funeral on Monday September 19th.
Thousands of NHS hospital appointments have also been cancelled, while countless funerals set to take place on the same day as the Queen’s burial have been postponed.
Food banks across the country have also been announcing their planned closures, something that has been met with an overwhelming wave of backlash.
The Trussell Trust, a non-profit organisation supporting a network of food banks, confirmed that three of its Staffordshire sites have made independent decisions to each close their doors on Monday.
A spokesperson for the trust said most of their charities are independent and were each given the option to close or stay open on the day of national mourning.
They said, as per The Independent: “Food banks are all independent, but we have emailed saying it is a bank holiday and they can decide what to do.
“It really depends on the local need on the ground, the volunteers will know if they are particularly quiet on a Monday, or if it is a busier day.”
The majority of people haven’t been too impressed with the announcements, with one social media user writing: “I’m not altogether sure that one of the things the late Queen would regard as people ‘showing respect” is food banks closing for the day.”
Another commented: “If a foodbank is to be closed (out of respect for HM) then that is bonkers. HM didn’t ever go hungry or want for food but there are people who are.”
This backlash has resulted in some food banks backtracking on their decision, with The Trussell Trust’s Wimbledon branch deleting its original tweet and saying ‘due to the overwhelming support we have received we now have volunteers to run our Monday session as usual’.
Queen Elizabeth’s funeral is set to take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday September 19th. The service marks a nationwide bank holiday, giving workers up and down the country the day off to remember the long-serving monarch.