Southend Foodbank referrals up more than 50% on 2021
They're worried for when winter comes
New figures released by Southend Foodbank show a sharp increase in the amount of people needing food parcels in the area through the first half of 2022, in what they're saying is their busiest year ever.
Data shows 56.4% more referrals being made to the foodbank in January to June this year than in the same period of 2021.
Cass Francis works at the foodbank. She says the figures are very worrying: "In total, 5,581 food parcels have been handed out so far in 2022. To put that into perspective, we are seeing as many people on average each month this year, as we usually see during our busiest Christmas months, there has been no let-up in people needing foodbank assistance...
"Normally we tend to have peaks and troughs in the food bank, with have quieter times through the warmer months... this year there's been no let up."
Cass says she's concerned what this means for the traditionally busier autumn and winter months: "This year is probably going to be a lot worse than it has ever been before. - I mean a lot worse if we are at Christmas capacity now.
"I have no idea what the end of this year is going to look like. It could be really, really tough for us and for any other Trussell Trust or independent food bank that's operating in the UK at the moment."
As more people come to the foodbank for help, they report donations have gone also dropped slightly.
On average this year Southend Foodbank have given out 1,845kg of food each week at their 8 distribution centres, but a drop in the amount of food being donated has left them with a a shortfall requiring an average of 230kg of purchases each week.
Cass puts this down to the cost of living crisis: "We think it's because people are being as generous as they ever were, but their money isn't going as far as it used to.
"If you're spending £2.00 a week on a food bank donation, you're now getting an awful lot less food than you used to."
The foodbank has also noticed a range of people requesting help who've never needed it before: "The biggest increase we have seen is in the amount of single people visiting us for the first time. This demographic is often overlooked when elected officials use ‘hard-working family’ rhetoric at the ballot box, which then translate to policies that overlook single people, who often have no family support network as well.”
Cass says things are looking bleak: "I've given a lot of interviews over the last six months and I end up saying the same thing every time.
"Unfortunately, I'm not sure how we break the back of this. Really. I suspect that it will end up being at the doorstep of government to try and sort something out so that people can make it through the winter.
"At the moment people are not having to pay for heating, but all that will change come September... the government has to find some way to help people."