A Slice of Bread and Butter
The voice of The Bread and Butter Thing - with stories from the frontline of the cost of living crisis from one of the UK's leading food charities.
A Slice of Bread and Butter
How Comic Relief And Sainsbury’s help Tackle Food Insecurity
Food insecurity isn’t just about the weekly shop; it’s about dignity, stability, and the confidence to plan ahead. We sit down with Georgia from Comic Relief to explore how Nourish the Nation with Sainsbury’s is helping food clubs become community anchors that prevent crisis, reduce waste, and create real breathing space for families.
From funding models and evaluation shaped by lived experience to hands-on initiatives like the Living Library and the Seasoning Shuttle, we unpack how smart partnerships turn empathy into action.<br><br>We trace how the partnership started in 2022 and why food clubs are a practical, dignified alternative to emergency responses. Georgia shares on-the-ground stories—like a single mum juggling three part-time jobs—showing how a predictable, affordable shop can spark hope and stretch budgets.
Beyond the groceries, we talk wraparound support: debt advice, housing help, digital inclusion, benefits navigation, and mental health tools delivered with partners such as Mind. These services transform a pickup into a pathway, helping members build resilience while staying rooted in their neighbourhoods.
We also reveal the mechanics that make it work. Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook range channels customer spend into grants; Comic Relief provides governance, reach, and storytelling to amplify awareness. Together, the aim is simple and bold: move from crisis to long-term security, normalise food clubs as a central solution, and keep joy on the table—through shared recipes, community ties, and weekly moments that bring people together.
If you care about poverty, community, and practical change, this conversation shows how lived experience can shape funding and policy in real time.
Listen now, share it with someone who should know about food clubs, and subscribe for more stories that turn local action into lasting impact.
Welcome back to a slice of bread and butter, the quick and mark from the Bread and Butter Thing. We're a charity that delivers affordable food to the heart of struggling neighbourhoods to help nourish communities and act as food change.
SPEAKER_01:We provide access to a nutritious, affordable range of food, which means our members can save money on their shopping, feed the families healthily as well as access other support too, right in the heart of their communities.
SPEAKER_02:And this is where we share a slice of life with somebody involved in bread and butter and how they connect with us.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, a different one this week, because this is actually Georgia from Comic Relief. Let's have a listen.
SPEAKER_00:Comic Relief has now been going for 40 years. We're still all about the original ambition of using the power of humour and humanity to create positive change. So our goal is to help people live free from poverty. And we do that by working with lots of brilliant partners in the UK and around the world who know their communities best.
SPEAKER_01:So tell us a bit about the history of bread and butter thing and come relief then.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, sure. So I think the partnership began in 2022 at the start of the launch of Nourish the Nation, which is this funded programme with Sainsbury's. Our partnership began because we believed that food insecurity is a growing issue, saw real need in communities off the back of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, and wanted to step in and help, and saw that the bread and butter thing and other food club providers doing brilliant things to get food to people and helping people to build community, reduce waste, give people some breathing space essentially to plan ahead. And we've long since said that food clubs are the secret weapon to fighting food insecurity. Yeah, giving out more than just food, building confidence and stability and hope.
SPEAKER_01:It was very BBC of you. Well done for making sure we do celebrate all food clubs ourselves as well. So that's fine. As you say, Nourish the Nation, it funds food clubs, right? So can you talk a bit about that? Where did that come from as an idea?
SPEAKER_00:Comet relief and Saiserby's kind of identified a need. So with research and chatting with food club providers like the bread and butter thing, identified the food club model as a really innovative way of helping people before they fall into crisis, building pathways out of poverty and helping people to kind of move towards being more food secure. So reaching people and kind of catching them where they are and helping them to build kind of the tools and resilience to help themselves move to a place where they become more food secure.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, because I I think it's a really innovative thing. As you say, I don't know of any other funds like this one that focuses in this manner.
SPEAKER_00:It's a relatively new approach, right? And there is some of the awareness kind of publicly is still catching up as to what food clubs are and how they differ from food banks. They are a dignified way of helping people when they're about kind of building community assets and getting people knowing their neighbours or getting out volunteering again or you know, really building that kind of sense of community and belonging. I feel like narrow nation is a unique way of celebrating those food clubs and hoping to kind of expand the model and get them to be more front and center in people's minds when they think about how we can help people who are on low incomes or struggling to pay for food and and their bills.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it goes back to your point earlier as well about the secret weapon, right? Part of the initiative behind this for Comic Relief in Sainsbury is to try and normalize, centralize, make people more aware of food clubs, what they do and how they could support and grow, maybe.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, absolutely. I think you know, with Comic Relief's platform and reach, there is a real opportunity and a kind of incentive to raise awareness to shine that spotlight and show that they are a real central solution to helping people prevent them from falling into food insecurity or further crisis.
SPEAKER_01:Do you think that's part of Comet Relief's role then?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think the funding is probably the foundation, but there is real power and capability from Comet Relief's side to connect people and share those stories and influence wider change.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you've been out to bread and butter, you've been out to the food clubs. Have you got any moments, any stories from there?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I've been up to Altringham and I also came to your Westminster event, which was great. So met some of the people who'd been taking part in the Human Library project, which was really great. One of the mums that I met at the Westminster event, I think really symbolized, I guess, your community for me because she's was working three part-time jobs, single mum of two kids, juggling a lot, but you know, she just showed again that kind of resilience and spirit and optimism that comes through from the bread and butter community. But she was really grateful for that kind of one time a week that she goes to the hub and picks up her shop for her and her kids, but also kind of that bit of relief, I guess, that she's gonna be able to just stretch the budgets a little bit further that week. And I could really feel that kind of tangible difference it was making each time she went along.
SPEAKER_01:I guess it challenges with comic relief as well. The fact that it's just beyond the calories and beyond the budget, it's also about the wraparound support and the communities and such.
SPEAKER_00:Beyond just the food, as we've mentioned, it's about so much more than that kind of the community and and that sort of things that we've touched on, but also those other services that you can offer to people or signpost people providing routes to help themselves, whether it is housing, employment, debt. I know there's been like digital inclusion work and helping people to then navigate the complicated system of benefits online, but then more kind of social activities as well. So it's really lovely to know that there's such a kind of array of services being called in, but so much thought, I guess, going into providing that menu of additional wraparound support.
SPEAKER_01:We did a podcast recently with Mind, you know, the mental health charity, because they they've been coming in and doing Money and Me, looking at that link between anxiety and stress and financial struggles. It's that mix, it's the volume, it's the variety that really does it. And I I guess it's making sure that it's not just one thing. We always try and triage for the right communities. So everything that we do is built on partnerships. What does a good partnership look like for comet relief?
SPEAKER_00:For comet relief, I think a good partnership is built on trust, shared purpose and values, and learning from one another. We don't want to just be funders, kind of want the opportunity to collaborate, to listen, and then to build on that. We really do learn so much from how you engage with your communities and adapt to local needs. One example that we have worked on recently is Vic at Bread and Butter Thing has been involved in the evaluation process for some of our work. So she was on a recruitment panel for evaluators, and then our evaluators are coming kind of to your hubs and meeting your members and meeting staff and volunteers. And we, you know, we take it really seriously that we want the lived experience and the learned experience from kind of our partners on the ground to then inform where our funding goes in future and make sure that the money that is raised is being as impactful as possible. So we're absolutely about kind of true partnership and using the voices of communities that we're intending to reach to shape those decisions.
SPEAKER_01:For us, it's the same. We want good partners that will listen and learn and adapt as well as we do every day when we talk to our members, and as new challenges come along, you've got to pivot, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, if we're not learning from that or you're not seeing that we're actually listening and adapting where needs to be, then it can become, you know, top-down and not a real partnership.
SPEAKER_01:So I guess that does talk a lot to fairness and dignity and how important that is. I guess that is an important part of what comes into what Comic Relief considers to support then.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, we want every project that we support to put people at the centre. So giving them the choice, voice, and respect, doing things, you know, with the people that it's um serving rather than to learn. Yeah, we think that's really you know what empowerment looks like in practice. So, in terms of comic relief strategy, it really is rooted in local change and our work being locally led and locally owned. So, where possible we really embed lived experience within communities because we know that's where the power and the change is.
SPEAKER_01:Or should be at least. So, looking at what we were just discussing and how you were saying it's really important to get those lived experiences and feedback from the communities, etc. Storytelling is really powerful, but does it drive change?
SPEAKER_00:I think storytelling ha definitely has the the ability to drive change, and I think you're right, it can't do the change on its own, but it helps to illustrate the issues, make people kind of empathize, care, and act.
SPEAKER_01:It kind of informs change.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it informs and kind of goes alongside, I think, those other tools that you need. But yeah, when you share those real stories, you can connect with people and make people understand and bring that human side to the stats or the data that can often not create the headlines that are needed to inspire people to make a difference.
SPEAKER_01:So we we've been together for a good few years now, as you say, from 2022 onwards. If we're looking at this in, I don't know, two or three years, what do you think you would like to see from the partnership?
SPEAKER_00:Well, I hope that yeah, the the partnership will continue to go from strength to strength, really. We'd like food clubs not to be the secret weapon. We'd like them to be more in the spotlight and kind of there is more awareness that there is this more sustainable, more dignified alternative to food banks out there. Obviously, we'd love to see fewer families relying on food provision in general, but less on emergency food and kind of using food clubs as and when they need, but as community assets rather than places to go in in an emergency. But more people feeling secure and hopeful about their futures, so shifting from that crisis response to long-term opportunity. Yeah, more of the same with the partnership. We like to do kind of more storytelling as you've alluded to, and more shouting about the the brilliant impact that has been achieved to date and hopefully will continue to be delivered over the next few years.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think we're on the same page. We look at it and say less food insecurity, but that doesn't mean to say that that's less food clubs, because the food clubs themselves still provide a good community piece.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, absolutely. I think that's it. I feel like the more I've kind of learned over recent months about food insecurity as a kind of whole, but food clubs in particular, I think there's a real ongoing, kind of clear need for that anchor point in communities and bringing people together. So it is just so much more about more than just about food, it's like like cohesion and sense of getting to know your neighbours and weekly opportunities for social interactions and joy around food rather than it being, you know, something that you need to shy away from in terms of accessing.
SPEAKER_01:I like it. I like it, Georgia. It's a good word, joy. Good. It's sadly not something used often enough nowadays.
SPEAKER_00:No, it absolutely is definitely something that has been lacking over recent years. But something that I think the partnership and Nouris Nation in particular, you know, are very keen to celebrate moving forward that everyone deserves that opportunity to have joy through food and make connections and memories over food, yeah, bringing people together.
SPEAKER_01:First and foremost, babe, right, we Nourish the Nation campaign, right? It's Sainsbury's and Comic Relief coming together. The money's coming through Sainsbury's and Comic Relief are adding what? The governance, I guess?
SPEAKER_02:Well, and the partnership and a bit of support to wrap around.
SPEAKER_01:And I I guess the other thing as well, it it doesn't just fund food clubs, right? Because it does look at food insecurity in all of its aspects, not just affordable food clubs.
SPEAKER_02:There's a number of strands to it. And some of it is around food clubs, but some of it's about holiday activity, food programme, and enhancing that. And there's other bits that we're not involved in too.
SPEAKER_01:And the schools.
SPEAKER_02:And the schools.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so that's quite a wide array, isn't it?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's making a massive difference.
SPEAKER_01:Fantastic.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, so in terms of where the where Sainsbury's get their funding from, it comes from their inspired to cook range. So when people buy herbs and spices and stuff from that range, a little bit goes to us. And the other day I was in my Sainsbury's because I'm faithful, and um there was some drinks which were like posh, sparkling mineral watery things. So they were on Nectar Point offer, and then also a quid for every four pack went to Comic Relief. Oh nice. So you can see it in stores like actually happening.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so be selective in your shopping.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:Fantastic.
SPEAKER_02:I was quite excited because I bought some. I got a nectar price, and I was like, oh, and we might get to see some of this at work too.
SPEAKER_01:So Georgia talked about the human library or the living library, which again comic relief supported, which is always fantastic. Big shout out to Proper Job for that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I think we couldn't have predicted how powerful the Living Library would have been. Yeah. And it's definitely something that we want to keep on and keep recruiting to and keeping it.
SPEAKER_01:I was gonna say, what what's a collective now for a cohort of living libraries then? Is it like a chapter?
SPEAKER_02:Oh, check you out. Yeah. That's quite poetic.
SPEAKER_01:I like it.
SPEAKER_02:Have you thought about this for a long time?
SPEAKER_01:No, it literally just came to me.
SPEAKER_02:There we go, we've got a chapter of living library people. Nice. Yeah, so we're looking at refreshing that as well.
SPEAKER_01:Nice.
SPEAKER_02:So that we get more people in. Because I think it makes a difference to them. And also it's hugely powerful in terms of trying to drive change, really.
SPEAKER_01:And it's a good example of that wraparound support as well for me, because the help and support that our Living Library got from Proper Job is more not just about them being living case studies, but building their confidence so that they can look for different jobs or even look in at leaning into and getting employment. Because so many times people struggle with being so far away from even being able to consider employment.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. So I think that's one example of how we do it. But then equally, I've seen people that come to volunteer with us at the school hubs or stuff, maybe that Comic Relief's funded, and through that volunteering, they're almost getting a similar package of support, and then wrapping around all the additional services that might help them with manage their debt better or maximise their income, all as a squash together package adds up to make a difference.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. It is fantastic when you actually get people into the communities how they just add a bit of magic sprinkle as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, for sure. I just heard myself saying make a difference, and I was like, oh, it's nearly on brand for Sainsbury's, isn't it? We'd taste the difference.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:We could adopt that for our additional.
SPEAKER_01:Could we could we sell them that as a marketing idea?
SPEAKER_02:Maybe. I don't know. I'm not sure they'd go for it. So go on then, Mark. Joy around food. Does that just look like Marmite for you?
SPEAKER_01:Well, it it does look like Marmite. Uh, marmite does bring a lot of joy in my life. But I did, for example, have a beer and a curry last night. I do like a beer and a curry. That's joy. Just thinking through that one is is more about actually the friendship as well. Because the people that I was having the curry with, it was much more about the engagement and we had a good laugh.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, we talk about that a lot. That the food or the drinks, just part of it. We chatted about that with going out for coffee, didn't we? And how it provides a social.
SPEAKER_01:Same thing. Yeah, it it was. It was it was a good social. So, yeah, definitely. But yes, if I had something, yes, uh and things that would survive a nuclear holocaust, more might. I've never looked at food in that category. No, probably oversharing how my head works.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah, it's not in any kind of filtering that I do. My joy is a good cookbook and then cooking it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I've got a new one. It's very good.
SPEAKER_01:Are you gonna name drop?
SPEAKER_02:It's called Lugma. It's quite obscure.
SPEAKER_01:Um Bahrainian. You do complicated. It's got a lot of ingredients. You do do complicated.
SPEAKER_02:But mainly spices and lots of veggie stuff.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_02:So complicated doesn't necessarily mean expensive.
SPEAKER_01:You know, I I I used to criticise Jamie for his eating on a budget when there was this huge larder behind him of herbs and spices. They do cost, right?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, they do. But they also last quite a while.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Yeah, but you need that money up front though.
SPEAKER_02:Yes. Yeah. Anyway, look at the case. However, very good.
SPEAKER_01:That was another thing that we did with them, of course, the seasoning shuttle.
SPEAKER_02:We did the seasoning shuttle?
SPEAKER_01:Because of that very issue.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that went down an absolute storm.
SPEAKER_01:So, what was a seasoning shuttle then, Vic?
SPEAKER_02:So the seasoning shuttle was a special van that we had kitted out to look like a pantry shelf, I guess, like a spice rack. We filled it full of fresh ginger, fresh chilies, and fresh garlic, and then loads of different herbs and spices, and went out to our hubs, and people could get a couple of dried items and a fresh item each time they shopped with us, and we did a little road show, and then we took it up to the northeast because Sainsbury's were happy to extend how long we could do it for, and members just loved it. And the chat about the recipes and everything was brilliant, really creative ideas coming out.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I remember that. I remember seeing people looking at it and you say, Do I go first and get grab some herbs and spices, or do I see what's in the bags first?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Which was always an interesting debate. And it was nice to see Stanebridge actually come out. So shout out to Ruth Crenson and her team that came out and saw that in action as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it was great. It brought a load of joy to members.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So if you'd like to know more about the bread and butter thing and what we get up to, you can find us at Team TBBT, on Instagram and Twitter, or LinkedIn or online at breadandbutthing.org.
SPEAKER_01:And if you've got any thoughts or feedback on the podcast, or you just want to come and have a chat and be a guest, drop us a line at podcast at breadandbutthing.org.
SPEAKER_02:And we're always open to new members at all of our hubs. So if you or someone you know would benefit from our affordable food scheme, you can find your nearest hub on the Become a Member page of the website.
SPEAKER_01:And please do all those things that podcast ask you to do. Like us, subscribe to us, leave us a review, or share us with your friends or chat about us on social.
SPEAKER_02:See you next time.
SPEAKER_01:Indeed.
