(***Pictured L–R***: Harold Baird (Damask Board Member), Dr Lindsay Easson (Damask Chairman), Tom Wilson (Lay Leader), Rev David Nixon (President), Lynsey Caqeua (Lisburn Food Bank Manger), Brian Anderson (CSR & East Belfast Mission), Alan Crawford (Christians Against Poverty), and Rev David Turtle (Seymour Street Methodist) outside Lisburn Food Bank.

Attempting to deal with poverty and its root causes has from its inception under God been a major part of the DNA of Methodism.

As a result, as well as local congregations attempting to alleviate poverty and all the other “spin-offs” which accompany it, the Methodist Church in Ireland established 5 Missions (one in the Republic of Ireland) and 4 in Northern Ireland - e.g. East and North Belfast, Londonderry, Belfast Central Mission all of whom are telling of the needs that people are coming with either seeking financial help or to make use of the Food Banks.

On Thursday 27th October, the Rev. David Nixon, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland and Lay Leader, Tom Wilson, along with others, went to learn of the work of the Lisburn Food Bank, part of The Trussell Trust network, and the partnership that it has developed with Damask Community Outreach, based in Seymour Street Methodist Church.

Meeting with Lynsey Caqeua, who manages the Community Support work of Lisburn City Church through its Community Trust, Alan Crawford, Christians Against Poverty, and with Dr Lindsay Easson, Chairman of Damask, the President and Lay Leader heard of the work that goes on between the three organisations.

The Lisburn Food Bank is seeing first hand how many families are struggling to meet essential needs with the number of clients being referred continuing to rise due to the impacts of the cost of living crisis.

Currently there are around 40 churches within the wider Lisburn area who support the Lisburn Food bank and they are seeing around 50 clients calling at the food bank every week.

Damask Community Outreach began in 2011 by the members of Seymour Street Methodist Church in Lisburn. Through the Lisburn Food Bank, they partner with The Trussell Trust who currently support 22 food banks in Northern Ireland (5% of the total number of food banks in their network across the UK).

Helping to address the issues that may underly why clients have had to seek the help of the food bank, the Damask Welfare Adviser, Febbie Francis spends one morning a week with food bank clients, helping to identify the benefits to which they may be entitled and assisting with application forms.

The Lisburn Food Bank also works closely with Christians Against Poverty (CAP) providing an Advice Service dealing with people struggling with debt. The Damask adviser refers clients to CAP and to the Food Bank, and CAP will refer clients to Damask who need support to access benefits to which they are entitled.

The work at Damask centres around the Low Road area of Lisburn, two areas of which have been assessed as the 3rd and 7th most deprived of the over 100 areas of the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. As well as their work through the Lisburn Food Bank, Damask offer advice and counselling, Carers and Toddlers, after-school clubs, and outreach work with teenagers.

The youth programmes are run in partnership with Youth Initiatives whose Lisburn base is in Seymour Street. It was commented at both the food bank and by the youth leaders that there has been a steep rise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the number of young people with mental health problems.

At the conclusion of the visit, the President spoke of his appreciation of the partnership which now exists between our Council on Social Responsibility, Christians Against Poverty and the Trussell Trust.

“Today the Lay Leader and I have been able to see the positive work all of these organisations are doing to support many different people who need help and support at this trying time. I also want to commend and thank the Trussell Trust, CAP and Damask and their partner organisations for the community outreach and support in this City of Lisburn.”

The President also praised the many congregations who are seeking to reach out and serve their local communities through many innovative schemes and those volunteers who make such ideas work.

Thinking of our Methodist City Missions the President said:

“There is a fear that these and other charities may not have the resources to meet the needs, especially as we go towards Christmas which has always been a period when extra expenses are incurred and so I would encourage everyone to be as generous as possible to our five Methodist City Missions as well as the charity work which is going on around you.”

In conclusion, the Methodist President reminded all present that the Church Leaders have again and again highlighted the desperate need for HM Government to step up their support for those extremely vulnerable in our society.