Beyond Food Banks podcast

This two–part podcast explores the relationship between disability, hunger and hardship in the UK's anti–poverty sector, and food banks in particular.

Listen to this special collaboration between Trussell and The APLE Collective (a national collective of individuals and organisations with lived experience of poverty).

Together, people with lived experience of poverty, disability rights activists and food bank leaders come together to ask important questions: How can food banks embed dignity and accessibility for disabled people visiting their centres? And what wider systemic issues are driving hunger in the UK in the first place?

You’ll hear perspectives from:

Brian, Chair of the APLE Collective and member of the Glasgow Poverty Truth Community
Christopher, APLE Collective artist in residence and learning disability rights activist
Alimany, APLE Collective member and representative from RAPAR, a refugee and asylum seeker campaigning organisation
Drew, Manager of Portsmouth Foodbank
Zoe, Manager of Newquay Foodbank

Podcast episodes

Episode 1 – Addressing hunger, disability, and systemic challenges in the UK

In this first episode, the conversation focuses on beyond the food parcel to explore how food banks and community organisations can support people with dignity while also challenging the systems that drive people into hardship.

Together with hosts Natalie (Trussell) and Steve (APLE Collective trustee) contributors discuss barriers disabled people face when seeking support and highlight why lived experience must shape solutions to poverty.

Episode 2 – Enhancing dignity for people accessing emergency food and support

In the second episode, the conversation moves to dignity in action: practical ways that foodbanks and other community organisations can offer a dignified experience for everyone when they access emergency food.

Hosts Natalie and Steve continue the discussion with contributors, reflecting on what’s worked in their food bank settings and the changes needed across society to tackle hunger at its roots.

Context

The conversations in this podcast were recorded in November 2025, so some figures or policy references may have changed since then. See Trussell’s latest food bank stats.

The APLE collective is a national collective of individuals and organisations with lived experience of poverty. APLE stands for Addressing Poverty by Lived Experience, their core values sit around being led by lived experience, being grassroots and equality and diversity.