Food poverty on rise in Eastfield but donations aren't keeping up
There will be a protest from food and poverty charities today
We are hearing how community groups near Scarborough are feeling the pressure as food donations are not keeping up with demand from people in need.
It is as food and poverty charities will be protesting outside the Conservative party conference today about the levels of food waste and the amount of people who need foodbanks.
Billa Duggal, community regeneration officer for Eastfield at North Yorkshire Council, said: "We know from last winter that there was a need for hardship and for fuel poverty so having these spaces to provide food and a warm space is important. I think even since the last 12 months I think we've improved in Eastifld in that respect.
"Both the community fridge and the community foodbank work very hard to reach out to partners and residents in terms of their donations. I think the community fridge in particular is very much about using surplus stock and distributing that openly to eveyone.
"What's happened particularly with the economic climate we're in is that the supply has diminished but the demand has gone up and up and up, so we're trying to do a lot of things there but these groups would certainly appreciate business help, particularly where there's surplus stock that's still within the use by date.
"Businesses definitely have got into the fact that if there's a surplus it can be distributed and it can also have a really good effect on the environment. I think supermarkets have got better. I think if they're reducing their surplus I think that's a really good thing, particularly for the environment."
For more information about each place, visit the fridge Facebook page, Westway Open Arms for the foodbank and Company Shop Group for the community shop.
Any businesses who would like to help can contact Billa via email on Billa.Duggal@northyorks.gov.uk