Foodbank volunteers braced for a weekly rise in demand...
VOLUNTEERS at Shepshed Foodbank are bracing themselves for an even greater demand for its services with the introduction of Universal Credit cited as a major factor in the rise.
The team provided 52 Christmas hampers at the end of last year, 12 more than the year before with support from Shepshed Lions, Church of Christ in Loughborough and a grant from Charnwood Borough Council ensuring clients received overflowing hampers of food, together with gifts for every member of the household.
Since then donations of food from Loughborough University, local businesses, churches, schools and individuals who took part in the foodbank’s Reverse Advent Calendar initiative have helped to stock up shelves.
And food delivered by Fareshare as part of its link-up with the foodbank has meant a more varied selection of food including fresh fruit, vegetables, butter, eggs, yoghurts, cheese and meat is now regularly distributed.
But a foodbank spokesman said that the demand for their service keeps rising, with 60 people registered at the foodbank and an extra or two people coming each week.
“Sadly but unsurprisingly, our numbers are increasing on a weekly basis.
“Clients include single people, couples, pensioners, single mothers and more and more families with young children.
“The introduction of Universal Credit in Charnwood has also brought with it very difficult circumstances for some people, but there are other reasons like relationship breakdown, redundancy, seasonal employment and illness.
“In order to continue providing the service we do, we have planned several fund-raising events over the course of 2019 to raise funds. We hope everyone will support us.
“We are always in need of donations, especially tinned food-tomatoes, beans, spaghetti, fish, meat and fruit as our stock diminishes vey rapidly as our numbers increase.
“We are so grateful for every single donation and judging by those received in 2018 we know that we are part of a community where others do care about the less fortunate.”