Russell Brand is volunteering at a food bank thanks to Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford’s tireless campaigning to end child food poverty has inspired plenty of Brits to take the matter seriously – and Russell Brand has the latest to answer Rashford’s call to volunteer at his local food bank.

The actor and comic revealed he would be offering his services to One Can Trust in High Wycombe in a social media video on Saturday as he urged his followers to join him in supporting the cause.

Food aid organisations and volunteers are braced for a busy winter thanks to the devastating economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK’s largest food bank network operator The Trussell Trust has warned they are expecting to give out six emergency food parcels every minute this winter, an increase of 61 per cent on last year’s total.

Inspired by the incredible @MarcusRashford, I am volunteering for my local food bank. Here is a little video about how you can help them – OR USE THEIR SERVICE – and about other food banks in your area.
More info: @One_Can_Trust / https://t.co/XTn66tcroFpic.twitter.com/DrM1cMOR2S

— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) November 21, 2020

That’s why Brand has decided to act to get struggling families fed this winter while hoping that structural change will follow to prevent food poverty taking hold. 

He said: “I’m trying to support Once Can Trust in any way I can. I try not to get caught up when I’m involved in things like this. My mind goes a little crazy, I start wondering well, God, can’t people do more? Can’t supermarkets do more?

“In the end if you think about stuff like this and if you think about poverty, it’s impossible to avoid the idea that we should completely restructure society. But for now let’s function on the rather more manageable objective of helping people that really need to get fed.“

https://twitter.com/One_Can_Trust/status/1330388022920159232

It’s not the first time that Russell Brand has used his platform to mobilise his followers in support of vulnerable people.

In 2018 he responded to concerns that rough sleepers would be moved off Windsor’s streets for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding by inviting followers to back his petition to help them get housed.

He has also offered his time to help Big Issue vendors in the past – hosting a meeting with four sellers in 2017 to hear their powerful stories of addiction and recovery as well as sharing his own battle.