Foodbank runner stops off in Littlehampton to meet volunteers
Littlehampton & District Foodbank has welcomed a visit from a teenager who is running across the UK to raise awareness about food insecurity.
Joe Osborne, 17, was greeted by mayor Alan Butcher and foodbank manager Hazel Lodge as he stopped off in Littlehampton to meet the volunteers.
He had run from Brighton to Littlehampton for his 13th foodbank visit, having covered 155 miles so far on his mission to raise the profile of food poverty.
So far this year, Littlehampton and District Foodbank has provided 1,819 people with emergency food, 1,218 adults and 601 children, he was told.
Joe, from Sevenoaks, is calling on at least one foodbank in each of the UK's 92 historic counties. From Littlehampton, he ran on to Chichester District Foodbank and then Portsmouth. Having recently completed his A-levels, he is taking a gap year and hopes to complete his epic 2,000-mile run by September 2026.
Joe said: "I started in Borough Green, Kent, travelling down to Cornwall and up to the Scottish Isles, including Northern Ireland. I’m doing this to shine a light on food poverty and food insecurity.
"In addition, I am interviewing the communities in each foodbank and sharing these very important stories on social media that don't get heard. I'm filming parts of my journey on social media to bring people along with me.
"For me, this is personal. My dad reversed his Type 2 diabetes by changing how he ate. I saw how powerful having the right nutrition and changing food choices can impact overall health and well-being.
"But not everyone has access to good food, and that’s not fair. So, I’m running. One foodbank at a time, to bring about change’s countrywide."
Joe also runs his own plant-based food company, Grown Grub, which he founded at 16. Follow Joe on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to find out more.