THE NUMBER of food parcels given out by Wokingham’s foodbank has soared year-on-year, and there are fears it will increase even more.
New figures released yesterday reveal that Wokingham Foodbank distributed 4,811 emergency food parcels, giving three days worth of food, were provided between April 2021 and March 2022.
And of those parcels, 2,057 went to children.
The foodbank says that this is a 78% increase on the previous financial year.
The rising cost of living is thought to be behind the sharp rise in demand, and these figures were compiled before the energy price cap increased. However, the temporary £20 a week uplift in universal credit was removed, and the foodbank says that as a result, these payments are not covering the cost of essentials.
The increase was also seen nationally. Wokingham Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network, which says it has experienced its busiest winter outside of the height of the pandemic in 2020.
Across the same period, the network provided more than 2.1 million parcels to people on the lowest incomes, a 14% increase on pre-pandemic figures in 2019-20.
Wokingham Foodbank said that its team would continue to do all they can to help people in the community – but they felt they should not, be needing to distribute emergency food parcels on this scale.
Lucy Martin, Wokingham Foodbank’s Operations Manager, said: “There will always be a role for strong community groups looking out for their neighbours, and we’re so grateful for the generous support of our volunteers and to local people who have donated to the food bank.
“Together, you’ve made sure that local people who can’t afford the essentials don’t face hunger.
“The support we see across the community for people on the lowest incomes is incredible. But it shouldn’t be needed. We should all be free from hunger. No one should be pushed deeper into poverty without enough money for the things we all need.
“It’s not right that anyone in Wokingham needs our food bank in the first place – everyone should be able to afford the essentials.”
She added: “At the moment the situation is only set to get worse, as this is just the start of the cost of living crisis. But we know what’s pushing people to need food banks like ours, so we know what needs to be done.
“People cannot afford to wait any longer for support – UK, national and local governments at all levels must use their powers and take urgent action now to strengthen our social security system so it keeps up with the true cost of living.”
To help residents, Wokingham Borough Council established an anti-poverty strategy, which had included bringing charities working to alleviate poverty under one roof. They are working together in a similar manner to the One Front Door initiative launched in the early stages of the pandemic.
