Salisbury Foodbank 'prepared' for increase in demand

Salisbury's Foodbank service is gearing up for an increased level of support needed by local people as 2020 goes on.

They're expecting the current recession, the long term impact of Covid-19 and the end of the Government's furlough scheme to push more people towards tough financial situations.

Manager of Salisbury Foodbank, Maria Stevenson says there's here to help though:

"If we're in a position where there's no more jobs to go to, people are going to slip back into the benefits system or really struggle. We're here for anybody who finds themselves at home looking in their cupboards and realising 'wow, I don't know if I've got enough food to last me through the week'. This is exactly what a foodbank is here for."

The Trussell Trust run service believe they're 'well prepared' for the busy few months ahead.

They've thanked the Salisbury community for their generosity during the Covid-19 pandemic, keeping their food stocks at decent levels to be able to keep providing emergency food parcels.

Maria Stevenson from the Trussell Trust says relocating their premises earlier this year was perfect timing:

"Thankfully, how things happened, this is a larger warehouse and we would have needed it. I don't think we'd have been able to cope with the amount of food donations we've had in our smaller warehouse."

The charity's currently operating solely out of their warehouse in Ashfield Road.

Volunteers are also helping with home deliveries where possible.

There's a hope that the Salisbury Foodbank can expand into a more 'normal' service again soon, as Maria Stevenson explains:

"Now churches are reopening and some of our foodbank centres are in church settings, I am working with the churches to reopen some of those settings as well. It's just a nicer environment for people to come and collect their food from."

If you'd like to help Salisbury Foodbank, you can find out more on their website.