Food parcel demand in Staffordshire and Cheshire up almost 18,000 since pandemic started
Foodbanks in our counties are giving out on average one emergency food parcel every seven minutes
New figures from the food bank charity The Trussell Trust reveal that more than 200 emergency food parcels are being given out to people across Staffordshire and Cheshire every single day.
Since the pandemic started, 73,133 families across our two counties have needed food support, that's up from the 55,682 from the year before.
On a local level, that's an increase of a third in a year - which mirrors the situation nationally.
In total The Trussell Trust gave out a record 2.5 million emergency food parcels in the year from April 2020 to March 2021.
Almost 1 million went to children- that's almost two parcels every single minute.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic there are high rates of unemployment and record redundancies across the country and with more people needing the social security system, many are turning to food banks for help.
Simon Boxall is the chair at Newcastle (Staffs) Foodbank which have sites around Newcastle-under-Lyme. He said:
"These figures, when I got them and saw them - I could hardly believe it.
"So many people are rejoicing now that next week or the week after we can go and have a meal in a restaurant. What about those who can't? Well, I don't even have to describe it. It's obvious how hard it is if you don't know where your next meal is coming from."
Simon added: "The first thing we can ask people to do is to contact their local Councillor candidates. We've got what's the the elections coming up on 6th May. So contact your local Councillor candidates and ask them what would they do, they're not MPs or anything like that but they still have influence. Ask them what would they do to help eradicate the need for food banks."
Concerns grow as figures rise year on year
This is not the first time the charity has experienced a rise, they're warning that the need for their services is increasing year on year.
These new figures reveal that there has been a rise of 128% compared to this time five years ago, with this being the first time parcels given out has gone over 2 million.
The charity, which set up it's first food bank in Salisbury in 2000, have called the figures "alarming" and have warned they are just "the tip of the iceberg".
According to the Labour Market Overview, from November 2020 to January 2021 the unemployment rate for those aged 16 plus was 5%, up from 3.9% in the previous year, meanwhile redundancies increase by 138% between April and July last year.
They are now calling on all levels of government to act and any candidates running in local elections to commit to working towards ending the need for food banks.
"Year on year increases on demand for food parcels"
Emma Revie, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, said:
"These figures are really shocking, we've seen year on year increases on demand for food parcels with more and more people finding themselves having to come to a food bank.
"The reasons why people are using food banks and largely unchanged, that is because people find themselves in a situation where they don't have enough money for the essentials and in many instances that's where people have experienced the loss of a job or become too unwell to work or living with issues like having a disability or being a single parent, the money they are receiving from social security is just not enough to cover the cost of essentials.
Simon said: "There seems to be a lack of funding everywhere for people who are in more difficult circumstances. What we're asking people to do is to say to their local candidates that they should commit themselves to developing a "cash first" approach and then make it easier - for adults particularly - to access this cash, not in a handing out charitable 'there there' approach, but because it's their right to access food."
Emma added: "No one should face the indignity of needing emergency food. Yet our network of food banks has given out record numbers of food parcels as more and more people struggle without enough money for the essentials. This is not right but we know we can build a better future. This pandemic has shown the unexpected can hit suddenly, but we know when we push for change, united by our desire for justice and compassion, the government has to listen and act.
"We are asking you, the public, to write to your local candidates standing for election on 6 May, asking them to commit to working to end the need for food banks if elected. Together we can take action now to build a hunger free future."
You can find out more about the Newcastle (Staffs) Foodbank at their website here https://newcastlestaffs.foodbank.org.uk