Co-op says that more than 65 food banks are sharing out over 75,000 items

FOOD BANKS currently being supported by donations from Central England Co-op members and customers have revealed the shocking impact the Coronavirus has been having on them and the people they support.

The Co-op says that more than 65 food bank partners are currently sharing out over 75,000 items donated by people heading into Co-op food stores as part of an urgent appeal launched after the nationwide lockdown was put in place and organisations saw a major spike in demand alongside a fall in donations.

Now food banks have been sharing their experiences of what it has been like during lockdown ranging from one handing out an extra 8,000 meals in just one month to another seeing demand spike from 120 people a week to over 700.

The Soar Valley Community Food Project has seen a 50 per cent increase in requests for food since the start of the pandemic.

Tim Jackson, from the project, said: “The donations have been amazing from all parts of the community which has meant we are coping with the increase.

“The donations in Central England Co-op stores have risen significantly, probably between three and four times what they were in January.”

People can make a donation by visiting their nearest Central England Co-op food store and dropping an item or two into special collection points. Items needed include cereal, tinned food and fruit, tea bags, dried pasta, rice, long life milk, sugar, biscuits, fruit juice and squash, pasta sauce and instant coffee.