Northampton foodbank sees 88 percent rise during lockdown

Weston Favell Food Bank package up emergency food parcels every Monday and Wednesday to provide support to people in the Eastern District trapped in poverty.

Since the lockdown was announced on March 23 in an unprecedented step to attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus, the pandemic has induced the of visitors.

Foodbank boss, Anne Woodly, said: "Self employed are waiting for their money and will not be paid until June, which has left many people with no food, and there still seems to be Universal Credit delays.

"People working in the leisure sector are finding themselves out of work or on furlough, even on furlough they are only receiving 80% of their salary, and are finding it hard managing the 20% debt."

Figures from April last month show how the food bank fed 1,043 mouths, of those were 509 adults and 534 children.

The foodbank works by a referral agency issuing 'food vouches' to those who need them. The voucher will then give them three days worth of emergency food.

324 food vouchers were given out last month, which Anne says is an 88.05% increase on the average month in 2019.

She added: "A lot of parents are still waiting for their meal vouchers, parents are telling us that the children are eating more than usual and parents are struggling to keep up with the children's need of food.

"For those parents who are working from home, juggling the home schooling and coping with added financial pressures and the loss of freedom is building.

"There are a some new people we are seeing but the main the people requesting food parcels have visited us before. They are families on a very low budget and this situation has just increased their deprivation.

"The families find life hard in a normal situation, the pandemic has increased the stress on their living situation. They have no resources to tap into and so struggle financially and with all aspects of their well being. There is little help of support at this time to help the families balance their lives.

"We do have some key workers who have been using food bank for some time, they struggle on their low income to feed and house themselves."

Emmanuel Church, which the food bank is affiliated to and operates within, are preparing some activity packs for the children to cover the cost of paper, pens and activity books as not all homes have access to technology.

The foodbank, which has recently been given a grant from the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, has been building their stocks to supply the demand but donations including tinned fish, meat, vegetables are needed.

To donate or find out more about the food bank, click here.