Spike in demand for foodbanks - how Shropshire people help feed those in need

Volunteers say the rising numbers relying on hand-outs is "deeply concerning".

The Trussell Trust, which runs a network of more than 400 food banks in the UK, said the number of people needing help is continuing to rise.

It comes after food banks across Shropshire saw record numbers using the service over the holiday period.

There are at least 10 food banks in Shropshire, including bases in Newport, Whitchurch, Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Welshpool.

The majority have been set up in conjunction with the Trussell Trust but others have been created by community groups.

Volunteers at one scheme based in Clun saw more than 900 meals provided to families over Christmas.

Another, in Ludlow, says that it handed out 260 parcels in December – up from just 30 six years ago. And Telford Crisis Network says it has helped 550 people this month alone.

Trussell Trust chairman Chris Mould says the figures are "deeply concerning to our nation".

He said: "Foodbank use is not rising because people are taking advantage of free food, it's rising because more people are facing situations where they cannot afford to eat."

They come from all walks of life and all have a different story to tell.

One regular volunteer at the food bank is Edward Best, 48 from Telford.

He first came for a food package when he moved to the area after living in London all his life.

It helped him out – and when he came back for the second time he decided to volunteer and has helped out ever since.

"The reason I help out is because in London where I am from you don't get this kind of service. It is very welcoming here, they offer you a place where people can come and have a cup of coffee or tea and a chat.

"I feel so welcome here and the staff work so hard and I am so thankful for everything they do. I came here as a user at first but when I saw how much they give you in a food package I decided to become a volunteer.

"This place is a lifeline for many people so it is nice that I can give something back to them every week," he said.

"I even organised a surprise birthday party for Julie before Christmas, and when she asked me why I did it I said it's because of the friendship she has shown me. She then said that I am now part of the family.

"It's like a huge community here, it is just one big family."

Another user, Bela Marcus, 54, from Madeley, said he regularly uses the Telford food bank and that it is somewhere for him to get support and help.

He said: "I don't come in every day but sometimes I just come in the see Rob and Julie, who do the cooking. Everyone here is friendly and it is a shame that Mark's Pit Stop had to leave the CHEC Centre, but I am grateful for this place. I really do enjoy coming here."

In line with the national trend, towns across Shropshire have seen a rise of about 40 per cent in the number of people asking for help.

But thanks to the generosity of churches, schools and organisations, food banks say they are able to keep up with the surge in numbers.

Co-ordinator Ruth Davies runs the Ludlow scheme with a team of volunteers.

In December 2008 her team handed out 30 food parcels. Last month they gave out more than 260.

The team, based at the town's Baptist Church on Sandford Road, say demand rose steadily during the recession and continues to increase despite the economic recovery.

Mrs Davies said: "December was our busiest month. Altogether we gave out 264 food parcels helping 618 individual people. April and August saw fewer referrals than any other month."

Numbers have steadily increased over the years but saw the biggest jump between 2012 and 2013, she said, adding that while figures for December this year had only risen slightly, the volume of food in some of the parcels was more.

Each food parcel contains enough food for about a week, so parcels for large families are considerably bigger than parcels for single people.

She explained: "We've given away more food than ever before because we've had a lot of very big families that have been in a position where it's taken several weeks to get money coming in."

"This year has seen an increase in the number of families needing help, and we have helped 287 children. It is interesting that the age group which has needed the most help is the 25 to 44 age range," she said. "People in the 65-plus range are either coping well, or are not being recognised as being in need."

The main reasons for people needing help were identified as problems with benefits, general financial troubles and sickness.

Other people were the victims of fire, floods, burglaries, domestic violence and fraud.

Mrs Davies said that in her experience, benefits were often stopped in error and could take up to eight weeks to reinstate, although the intervention of MP Philip Dunne had recently improved the waiting times.

Jake Bennett, co-ordinator for Telford Crisis Network which operates the Telford food bank, said: "Food banks are seasonal so we find that after Christmas we will see an increase in the number of users because of the strain put on relationships and marriages over the festive period.

"We have a lot of support from charities across the borough, so people are able to access all the help and support they need in times of crisis."

Since it opened in April 2013 the crisis organisation, which also operates clothes banks and Christmas charity appeals, has helped a total of 10,000 people – 9,000 have been fed by its food bank.

So far this month, it has helped more than 550 people.

The charity said that it rarely sees repeat visitors as it tries to offer help that will make a long-term impact – 75 per cent of people don't need to return.

Mr Bennett said: "Every day I see people's lives change, and it really is great to see. We work with 55 different charities, mainly homeless charities to help people who need it.

"The one thing I must stress is that it is not a case of coming out of the Jobcentre and walking straight into the food bank. Most of these people use us as a last resort because they don't have any family or friends. We essentially become their family and friends when we help them."

Mr Bennett gave the example of an elderly lady who used the food bank, located in Fletcher's Café, Madeley, on one occasion because her husband was in intensive care in hospital and he looked after the bank cards. The food bank is run by volunteers who give up their weekday evenings between 5.30pm and 6.30pm to help TCN put together food packages.

The packages are also taken to the Telford Community Store on the Forge Retail Park ready for the day after.

Cat Finch, 40, from Stirchley, has been a volunteer since April 2013 and said she tries to go as often as she can to help out with the food parcels.

"Most people volunteer here because they want to do something helpful," she said. "The people who come here love it, and we don't just help them – we have a chat with them and talk about normal things such a football."

The food bank is always looking for people to make donations so staff can put together packages.

Zoe Bament, who runs Slimming World in Albrighton, said: "I came along to give the food bank some of the naughty treats that might not help with our diets. Most of the items I have brought are chocolates and crisps left over from Christmas."

Luke Palmer, a support worker from the charity Thrive, said: " We give them advice and I will have a chat with them to see what we can do to help.

"We support anyone in Telford who needs it we will try to help them with whatever they need."

Trussell Trust network, which operates more than 400 foodbanks across the UK said that in general figures were 38 per cent higher between April and September 2014 compared to the same period the previous year. And with demand consistently growing, its figures show two food banks are set up each week around the country.

One of the trust's schemes was set up in Whitchurch just 15 months ago and has already fed more than 1,000 people, issuing 10.5 tonnes of food. It saw its busiest month yet in December when it issued 1.3 tonnes of food and saw as many as 13 clients in a single morning.

Alan Scutt, of the Whitchurch food bank, said: "When we first started we didn't know how busy it would be. We just knew there was a need."

The scheme is run by Whitchurch's Churches Together group in Bargates Hall, behind St Alkmund's Church, in Church Street and opens three days a week to provide help to anyone with vouchers issued by a care professional – doctors, health visitors and social workers.

Thanks to the generosity of schools, local residents and organisations, the scheme has received a huge amount of support with 15 tonnes of food donated to date.

Mr Scutt said: "We have had enormous levels of support from people in Whitchurch and surrounding areas. We have also had great support from our volunteers who have been tremendous."

Elsewhere, food banks are bucking the trend, although the reason why seems to be a mystery.

Market Drayton food bank opened more than two years ago in the parish rooms in Church Street.

Helen McSherry, food bank manager, said from December 19 to January 2 they gave out food to 90 people, including 39 children.

"Thirty-six vouchers were brought in and we gave out 831.55 kilograms of food, £200 worth of Shepley's vouchers to allow people to get fresh meat and veg, and 48 gifts," she said.

"There are certain times of the year which are busier than others and Christmas is one of them. It seems to be the case with all food banks.

"Last Christmas was about the same. We have quietened down again now but expect it to get busier again as the cold weather kicks in. I would like to say a big thank-you to organisations, churches, individuals and businesses for their donations.

"We have currently got 20 to 30 active volunteers but could always do with more."

Phil Simpson, from the Oswestry and Borders Food bank, said: "In general 2014 was quieter for the food bank than in 2013. This was even in the run-up to Christmas.

"Of course, we do not know the reason for this. It may be that unemployment is down or perhaps that benefits problems are being sorted out more quickly. Our worry is always that there may be people out there that could be helped by the food bank but either do not know we exist or do not know how to access us."

Since the beginning of last year, the food bank has given out 890 parcels containing 22,000kg of food – that's more than 6,000 meals for 1,357 adults and 794 children.

He added: "As some people will have needed more than one food parcel the total number of individuals and families in the area that have received help from the food bank in 2014 is about 300."

But Ray Green, at Shrewsbury food bank's distribution centre, said it was a "calm before the storm" as the impact of overspending at Christmas and heating costs due to plummeting temperatures looked set to hit hard-up families.

He said 40 people had received supplies from the team at Hope Church in Harlescott Grange in the week before Christmas but only 18 people had received help this week.

He said: "I think this is a lull, like the calm before the storm because before Christmas people were getting concerned with how much food they were going to have around. Now some people are going to struggle to pay for things they overspent on for Christmas and with the cold weather heating bills will go up.

"We are quite surprised we haven't seen more people already but like I say I think we are going to see a surge quite soon."

Mr Green said the distribution centre in Harlescott Grange helped more families and couples than the centre at St Barnabus Church in Coleham which generally saw more single people.