STORIES OF US PORTRAITS IN "BEHIND CLOSED DOORS" EXHIBITION

Stories of us portraits created by Nottingham Photographer Ursula Kelly have formed part of  ‘Behind Closed Doors’ an exhibition with End Hunger UK, as calls for a measurement of food insecurity grow.

End Hunger UK will host the ‘Behind Closed Doors’ photography exhibition which launched in the Viriamu Jones Gallery - Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT on 22nd August before moving on for a tour of the UK, being exhibited n the House of Commons for World Food day on the 16th October.

 The experiences of people living in food insecurity are shared through a series of photographs, poetry, graphics and testimonies, and there will be the opportunity to take local action for anyone  interested in tackling hunger.   

The exhibition has been organised by End Hunger UK, a national campaign supported by a number of organisations working together to tackle hunger, and is part of their work towards a national measurement of food insecurity.* Earlier this year the group revealed that over 1 in 10 adults and almost 1 in 4 parents with children are skipping meals due to lack of money. 77% of adults think the Government should monitor how many people in the UK are food insecure, and the group are calling on the Government to commit to measuring household food insecurity.  

In Wales household food insecurity is especially acute. Wales has a higher rate of households living in income poverty than England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are 110 Trussell Trust foodbanks operating across Wales and at least 37 independent food banks and between 1st April 2017 and 31st March 2018 the Trussell Trust network provided 98,350 three-day emergency food supplies to people in Wales. Research has also shown that a fifth of people in Wales are worried about running out of food, especially families with children.

‘Behind Closed Doors’ will be touring the country throughout summer and autumn of this year. You can fid dates on the Stories of Us website or on the social media outlets @storiesofusuk

Rachel Alcock, Oxfam GB and End Hunger UK explained; “This exhibition gives a platform for people who struggle to feed themselves and their families. It is important that we hear their stories, and find long term solutions to fix the household food insecurity crisis in Wales, and the UK. Everyone is welcome to view the exhibition, and take action as a result – signing a postcard to lobby their MP.”

James Lane, one of the photographers involved in the exhibition feels the importance “of contributing a voice to causes that question the status quo and make life awkward for any Establishment complacency. 'Behind Closed Doors' is one attempt to do this. It highlights the chilling fact that none of us are exempt from falling through the cracks of society and becoming dependent on family or friends for basic survival. As a group, we hope you will be moved by the exhibition, and that it will change your perception of food poverty in the UK.”

Notes

*Food insecurity is defined as going hungry, at risk of going hungry or being worried about going hungry due to not being able to afford food.

End Hunger UK:

End Hunger UK is a national campaign is supported by organisations including: Baptists Together; Caritas Social Action Network; Child Poverty Action Group; Church Action on Poverty; the Church of England; the Church of Scotland; FareShare; First Steps Nutrition; Food Bank As It Is; Food Ethics Council; The Food Foundation; the Independent Food Aid Network; Food Matters; Magic Breakfast; the Methodist Church; Nourish Scotland; Oxfam; Quaker Peace and Social Witness; Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming; The Trussell Trust; and the United Reformed Church.

Find out more at http://endhungeruk.org/