Demand soars for foodbank help across Greater Manchester

As people across Greater Manchester are put out of work or isolated from their friends and families, food deliveries are becoming an ever-present part of our lives.

For some that means more takeaways or supermarket deliveries, for other it means relying on the local food bank.

Before Covid-19 hit, food bank usage had been steadily increasing.

In 2010, the Trussell Trust handed out 41,000 food packs across the UK.

By 2016, that number had risen to 1.2m.

And the coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated the rate of demand, according to volunteers working in Greater Manchester.

One Council-run service, Salford Assist, used to provide 25 food vouchers a week to people who cannot afford food and fuel and need emergency help.

Last week it issued 350 vouchers, and a further 300 vouchers for fuel.

But as the demand rises, food banks have also been left with a logistical headache. How do they get the supplies to those that need it?

Iain Wight is a manager at Salford Foodbank, which has four centres across the city.

He says that his team had to move quickly to overhaul their way of working as it became apparent that the usual drop-in system was unsustainable.

Not only were there new social distancing rules to respect that required the creation of a new delivery system. But demand in the area had skyrocketed. In one week, the number of people requesting food jumped 300 percent.

To make matters worse, within the first week of the lockdown, Iain lost a handful of his usual volunteers who were themselves being forced to self-isolate.

"The first week was slightly chaotic," he says, but adds that what they’ve achieved since has been ‘extraordinary’.

The response from the local community has been particularly moving, he says.

Some 50 people have signed up as volunteers to Salford food bank since the start of the pandemic, many of whom have seen their own finances take a hit as a result of the virus.

Many of the new recruits had been furloughed, some had lost their jobs.

Iain says: "People who suddenly have availability, who didn’t have it two weeks ago became volunteers."

It means the team is able to drop off between 60 and 70 food parcels a day, and Iain reckons they’re reaching 400 families a month.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, food banks were sustained largely by donations from the public, Iain says.

Apart from a short dip when supermarkets started introducing restrictions amid concerns about panic-buying, donations have come in at a steady rate.

What has changed since the virus took hold is the support food banks have received from the business community, Iain says.

"The support we’ve had from businesses – that’s really a new thing for us. There’s now a national agreement with British Gas and the Trussell Trust but before that our local British Gas got in touch and provided us with a small fleet of vans who help us with deliveries," he explains.

"We have a charity called Salford foundation who do a lot of outreach – they provided us with drivers and then we’ve had local company Seddon Construction, who’ve provided us with a fleet and which helps with volume moves from supermarkets."

"And then there’s the fleet of vans from the Manchester United Foundation. They’re normally going into schools but they’re making those vans available to us at the moment. Those links have been extremely helpful," Iain says.

He also says that the foodbank had received some ‘very generous’ donations from charity – especially the Greater Manchester mayor charity fund, Booths charities and FareShare.

And he says that the service needs donations ‘all the time’ – with what he calls ‘kettle meals’ especially appreciated.

"Some clients only have microwave or kettle – so anything like noodles or pasta and sauce in a packet is appreciated. We’re always low on long-life milk, and we’re always short on tinned fish and fruit. But we value everything that’s donated. And we do need food donations all the time."

One of the downsides of the current situation is the lack of face-to-face contact that volunteers are having with the people who use the service, Iain says.

But the response that referrers have been getting from those who use the food banks is good, he says.

It’s not just established food banks that are helping out people in the city.

One of the more moving aspects of this crisis has been how quickly people have moved to help out others.

In Salford, gin distilleries have switched their productions to make hand wash.

And an army of sewers – professionals and amateurs alike – have started making much-needed scrubs for NHS workers.

Council services have also stepped up their support.

Stu Moss is a catering manager who normally works on wedding receptions in Salford.

He says it became quickly apparent that his usual trade would be drying up – but that his links in the food distribution world could still be put to good use.

His team put a call out to their head of service and quickly the space that is usually used for weddings became the nerve centre of a new food delivery service.

"We said – we need to get out there," he remembers.

In two weeks, his team delivered food to 1,000 homes.

While food banks deal largely with individuals who are having income difficulties, the Council services are being provided to people in a wider range of situations. Some have financial issues, others are self-isolating or unwell.

"There’s a lot of tears when they’re dropped off. We had a lovely card from one 74 year old woman, left on her doorstep," he says.

"The ages are from 18 to 90 odd. I do one where a 70 year old gentleman called for his 98 year old mum. He lives in Bury and so couldn’t help his mum. We got down there very quickly. But we see all ages and all demographics," Stu says.

His team is made up from volunteers and Council staff who’ve been redirected from other services.

"It’s not something we’ve done before – you learn the first couple of days to do it. The guys who are doing the deliveries are normally working on bins," he says.

Food parcels are also a big part of the support that’s being offered by the Spirit of Salford network, co-ordinated by Eccles councillor Sharmina August.

Those with income issues can receive vouchers but more affluent but isolated individuals can pay £20 for a food parcel, if they’re self-isolating and unable to leave their homes.

"These are people who are not on the shielded list, but maybe are a bit scared of leaving the house," Cllr August explains.

The food boxes include milk, tea, cereal, fruit, vegetables and tinned food as well as other necessities like toilet roll and soap.

Many of the people who use the service are struggling with the mental toll of the lockdown, she says.

A man in his 80s who gets the food boxes was moved to tears when his package arrived.

"He said he didn’t know how he was going to survive," Cllr August says.

Cllr Tracy Kelly, who also helps out with the project, says she’s received a similar response.

"One lad was so grateful, he shouted after me and said: "When I get a new job I will make a donation," she says.

"Another man said he had never had to ask for help before. It was really upsetting for him and he hoped it would be over soon," she recalls.

Despite the help that is available, what is clear is the toll that the pandemic is having on people within the city.

The Spirit of Salford hotline was only set up a few weeks ago by Cllr August and her colleague, Cllr Lewis Nelson, to help direct individuals to support during the lockdown.

It has already received more than 4,000 calls.

Many of those in the first week were food-related, the town hall says.

But since then, the network has expanded its volunteer base, and with it, its range of services.

These include a Keep in Touch service – for those who feel isolated or scared – and it has been particularly well-used by people with dementia, Cllr August says.

"With dementia, some people have gone out and don’t understand why people are staying away from them, or why the shops are closed. It can be particularly confusing and stressful for people in those situations," she says.

The network has also teamed up with charities and organisations in the city to widen its range of services. These include a digital buddy scheme which matches isolated people with tech-savvy individuals and a dog-walking service.

"A lot of people would put their pets’ wellbeing above their own," Cllr August says, but this allows those who need to self-isolate to do – without worrying about the impact on their dog.

The network has also teamed up with the city’s voluntary service to provide specialist support for LGBT+ individuals, the Jewish community, the Polish community and people with disabilities.

Hundreds of people signed up as volunteers to the service, Cllr August has said, although not all yet have been used. With uncertainty surrounding the length of the lockdown, she says it’s likely that many of those will still be needed further down the line.

And, what’s clear, is the toll that this difficult time is taking on those who are most vulnerable.

Cllr August says: "I had a lady today who when I dropped the box on her door was saying she’s been crying all morning because she’s not seen her children. It’s really tough."

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