LAST WEEK, Wokingham Foodbank received a royal visit The Countess of Wessex.
During the pandemic, the charity has seen a sharp rise in demand from families in need.
Sophie, Countess of Wessex visited volunteers on Thursday, November 12, to talk about the charity’s response to the virus.
She discussed the long term impact of the pandemic on struggling households, and helped prepare food parcels for delivery.
“We were honored to welcome Sophie, The Countess of Wessex, to our Foodbank and have the opportunity to talk with her about our work” said Annette Medhurst, Wokingham Foodbank manager.
“The Countess had a real understanding of how we work and showed true compassion for the challenges people in our community face as a result of the pandemic.
“The number of referrals we are receiving is on the rise again so it was great to have an extra pair of hands working today. We really appreciated The Countess getting stuck in and helping out.”
Since the start of March, Wokingham Foodbank has received approximately 1,250 referrals for families who struggle to afford food and other essentials.
At the peak of the pandemic the number of food parcels going out was 400% higher than the same period last year and one tonne of food was routinely being distributed every week.
Alongside food, the charity is now offering a fuel top-up scheme for households living in fuel poverty to operate throughout the winter months.
