"Policy Press were so enthusiastic and supportive from the start, and really gave me the autonomy to take the book in the direction I wanted to go, whilst at the same time giving me firm advice on title and cover options to ensure it was as marketable as it could be.

I think its key that the publisher and author are on the same wavelength from the beginning. Everyone I’ve worked with at Policy Press knew exactly how I wanted the book to turn out, and they did everything they could to support me in bringing it together, and also in disseminating it. Two years on, they still support me in sending books to MPs every time they make a negative comment about foodbank use!

So far, I’ve presented my work to cross-party MPs in a launch event in Parliament, given talks to sixth form students, spoken at the House of Lords, and to trade union groups – there are many more I could mention. Getting the messages from the book out there to as many different audiences is really important.

End Hunger UK used a case study from Hunger Pains in their ‘Menu to End Hunger in the UK’. It formed the basis of their 8th recommendation, “A review of sanctions to ensure that they do not cause undue harm or destitution”.

Also, Baroness Ruth Lister has used evidence from Hunger Pains in a House of Lords debate on UK poverty."An ethnographic study of a food banks that I helped to launch recently puts flesh on these abstract arguments. The author, Kayleigh Garthwaite ... witnessed the shame and humiliation that they felt at having to go to a food bank to meet their most basic needs."

Hunger Pains was published in 2016 by Policy Press, and won the British Academy Peter Townsend Prize 2017.  You can buy the book here. 


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