Drop in donations to North Yorkshire foodbank as prices continue to soar
Demand at the foodbank has also increased 37% in the last year
A network of foodbanks in North Yorkshire say they're now giving out more food than is being donated.
It means the Trussell Trust in Harrogate and Knaresborough is relying on cash donations to buy in products to support struggling families.
Dawn Cussons is the manager and says it's clear that the cost of living is having a huge impact on everyone: "In between January and April we were donated more than 5 tonnes of food, which is an astronomical amount, but we actually gave our 6 and a half tonnes, so already we are on the back foot. Luckily we get donations of money as well, so we have to go into our bank funds, we spent £600 last month topping up on items that are expensive, tinned meat, tinned fruit, fruit juices, they are the items that we are running out of."
The foodbank is now working with more schools too after reports of children turning up hungry to class: "We supply them with breakfast foods, beans and sausage, cereals, breakfast bars, hot drinks, whatever we can and also toiletries because some of the kids were going to school without showering and that's just dire, no one should be doing that."
Yesterday food manufacturers met the Chancellor to discuss the high prices of products at the supermarket.
Jeremy Hunt's raised concerns about costs, with the aim of easing the pressure on struggling households.