Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service (PCVS) added a sign-up for the Joy referral app to its website in February 2026 to help residents in crisis. The tool allows organisations across Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, to register to receive and manage referrals in a single place.
PCVS says the system is intended to make it quicker and easier for people to be linked to emergency food parcels and other support services. Local groups such as Peterborough Foodbank — which traditionally operates a voucher-based referral system — are included in the network; PCVS says the digital hub will enable charities to manage referrals digitally, replacing or supplementing paper vouchers over time.
PCVS says the move aims to bridge the gap between healthcare and community support. Social prescribers based in GP surgeries and other referral partners can use the app to send instant referrals to multiple agencies so a person’s food, debt, housing or mental-health needs can be addressed together.
The launch comes amid sustained high demand for emergency food aid: Trussell Trust figures show food banks in its community distributed 2.9 million emergency food parcels in 2024/25. Charities can sign up to the Joy App through the PCVS website to join the network and begin managing referrals directly.
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