Help those who have fallen on hard times

There is plenty of dubious activity and wrong doing in society for investigative newspapers to get their teeth into. But the Mail on Sunday’s attack on food banks has left a nasty taste in the mouth. It discovered that a few people claiming food handouts were not entitled to them and even getting away with multiple claims. There will always be those who cheat the system and, in this case, fool unsuspecting volunteers. But the result is that it has potentially damaged the work of the charities trying to help the majority who are genuinely in need of support. The story has caused something of a backlash and some food banks have actually reported a surge in donations since the story was published. But sadly not in Canterbury where the food bank is an independently-run charity and running so short of donations, that it has having to buy food to replenish its stocks. Volunteers there operate a strict policy of checking those who are applying for food handouts but admit there will always be the occasional undeserving chancer who slips through the net. But we hope it has not put off anyone from donating food because it is needed more than ever. Many of us have food in our cupboards we could spare or could afford to put a few extra items in our shopping baskets every week which we could donate. So let’s help Canterbury’s Food Bank to restock to bring some comfort to those who have genuinely fallen on hard times.