The Beginning

The Buckingham Emergency Food Appeal began at Christmas of 1985 when we took our children to the theatre in London and saw the homeless sleeping under Waterloo Bridge. We found out that  Crisis at Christmas was providing a Christmas dinner and shelter for homeless people and we as a family volunteered to help them over Christmas. About two weeks before Christmas I called Crisis and said “We’re farmers. Would you like us to bring any food ?”. That’s how it all started. That first Christmas we collected £750 worth of food, put it on a small lorry and took it with us to London for Christmas dinner. We’ve been doing it ever since”.

Mike Buckingham  (founder) on BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme, 7 December 1997

2024-25

2024 marks 39 years since Mike Buckingham began supplying food to the charity Crisis.

This year we expect to provide support for over 200 charities, many of whom are supporting people who are homeless and vulnerable.

The organisations we supply also include those who are helping people cope with the problems of later life, isolation in the farming industry and the consequences of family breakdown.

We hope to reflect Mike’s determination to help those in greatest need across the country.