Crisis-hit foodbank is almost out of supplies
A FOODBANK is at crisis point after the school holidays saw a spike in demand with parents struggling to feed their children.
Volunteers at Heywood Foodbank are having to dip into the foodbank’s cash reserves to buy food to fill emergency parcels, because stocks are so low.
It comes just months after the foodbank was inundated with donations of food by the public, following an appeal before Christmas.
Despite having good support from the community, the issue has once again been caused by the sheer scale of demand on resources.
It supplies food twice a week to families and once a week for single people, and has found that ten new families a week are now needing its help.
Stocks were heavily depleted over Easter, with parents having to find meals for youngsters who would usually receive lunch at school during term time.
Volunteer Susan Coates says the situation has become an emergency. She added: “We’ve not got anything, the cupboard is bare.
“We have to spend £150£200 a week of donations just to buy enough goods to fill the parcels.
“We only have a few thousand pounds so it’s not going to last us that long, it’s an emergency really.
“We’ve had Easter and during the holidays families are desperate because children normally get free dinners at school.
“We just don’t have anything and we need to replenish the stock before the school summer holidays.”
The Heywood Foodbank is independently run, under the umbrella of the St Vincent de Paul Society, a local and international Catholic organisation which works for the relief of poverty in the community.
It receives support from a number of local businesses, including Tesco, Morrisons and Whitleys. Nando’s in Oldham also provides the foodbank with chicken to give to families.
The food bank needs nonperishable goods – such as tinned foods, cereals, dried pasta, tea and coffee.
Donations can be dropped off at St Margaret’s Church, Morrisons in Heywood town centre, Darnhill Library, St Joseph’s RC Church, the office of Liz McInnes MP and the foodbank itself at 6 Bethel Street. For more information about how to help, contact the foodbank via St Joseph’s RC Church on 01706 369777.