LOCAL boxer Carl Frampton has thrown his support behind the North’s first weekend emergency food bank in North Belfast.
Founded by Rab Maginnis, the food bank opened its doors on Ashfield Gardens, off Skegoneill Avenue last weekend.
With spiralling energy costs, the choice of eating or heating is becoming more of a reality for many families this winter.
Rab himself is no stranger to tough times, having been homeless on and off for 27 years and wanted to try and give something back to help people in the community.
Speaking to the North Belfast News, Rab said: “I was homeless on and off for 27 years before moving into my apartment three years ago.
SUPPORT: Rab Maginnis and boxer Carl Frampton
“I wanted to give something back and I volunteered in St Patrick’s Soup Kitchen for over a year.
“When Covid hit, I was told to shield due to some health problems. My mental health started to suffer and I was very low and wanted to take my own life.
“I started a Facebook page, ‘Rab’s Homeless Advice Group’ in August 2020 about homelessness awareness. The page really took off with people posting clothes and furniture to help people out.
“I then started an outreach team, out on the streets four nights a week. I started helping people out with referrals for housing and food banks.
“We had a big Christmas appeal there with hampers and toys for local families in North Belfast.
“When doing referrals for people all week, I noticed that on a Friday at 5pm, there were no food banks open until Monday again.
“Over the weekend, I was getting up to fifty phone calls with people struggling for food and there was no food banks open.
“As far as I know, we will be the first operational food bank at weekends. We will be on call from 5pm every Friday evening, delivering food on Saturday and Sunday as well.
“We are totally reliant on donations to the food bank. I have many contacts on my page who help with that and without them, the food bank would not be possible.
“This is for people in all of the greater Belfast area.”
Tiger’s Bay man Carl Frampton had earlier called in to visit Rab and his team ahead of Saturday’s launch.
“I want to say a massive thank you to Carl for coming along and giving his time and support to us,” added Rab.
Rab’s weekend food bank is based at 33-35 Ashfield Gardens. You can get in touch with Rab and the team via ‘Rab’s Homeless Advice Group’ on Facebook.
