2,412 food parcels issued in a year
RUNCORN And District Foodbank has revealed it dished out 2,412 emergency parcels to residents in 2016-17.
Publishing its annual figures, the service said this was up from 1,911 the previous year.
Of those handed out in 2016-17, 920 packs went to children.
A Runcorn foodbank spokeswoman said the top three reasons for residents seeking help were benefit delays, benefits changes and low income.
She said big-hearted residents had donated 18 tonnes of food and more than 100 had volunteered.
Schools, businesses and faith groups had all provided vital support, she said, enabling the service to give out packs containing three days of nutritionally-balanced supplies for those in crisis.
It also provided items such as toiletries, books and personal hygiene products to struggling families, as well as signposting them to other services.
Runcorn And District Foodbank said it costs about £6,000 a year to run and donations are always welcome.
Colin Keiley, Runcorn And District Foodbank manager, said: “We are still seeing an increase in the number of three-day emergency food supplies provided to local people in crisis – 2,412 in the last year. ●
“It is all too easy when you look at figures to forget the real people behind the statistics.
“That’s why the foodbank is so vital.
“We are very grateful for the ongoing support of the community, and hope that one day there will be no need for us in our area.
“But until that day comes, we will continue to offer the best possible service to help local people facing a crisis.”
David McAuley, chief executive of national foodbank charity The Trussell Trust, said: “Today’s figures on national foodbank use prove that the numbers of people hitting a crisis where they cannot afford food are still far too high.
“One million three-day food supplies given out by our foodbanks every year is one million too many.
“This many people needing emergency food must not become the new normal.
“I’m calling on Government, the voluntary sector, businesses and communities to work together to tackle hunger and poverty in the UK.
“This has to be a societywide effort.
“Our foodbank network is already playing its part: many foodbanks offer additional services to help people break out of crisis, and if the promising new data science techniques shown in The University Of Hull report are developed, we could use them to help tell foodbanks where to target resources and which groups in society are most at risk from hunger.”
For more information visit https://runcorndistrict. foodbank.org.uk/