Rise in demand for food bank services
FOOD banks across Wokingham continue to see rising demand for services.
SHARE Wokingham, which operates several sites in the borough, is open to anyone with no need for a referral.
It opened at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to support the community and provide help to those who need it as well as to tackle the environmental issue of food waste.
Recently, the organisation has seen an increase in demand with the cost of living continuing to rise.
Claire Revie, founder of SHARE Wokingham, said:
“We have definitely seen a continuing rise in demand over the last couple of months.
“It is not just people we have helped previously but a lot of new people from a range of age groups.
“At the moment we are helping about 500 people a week across all of our sites.”
The charity works with supermarkets and food suppliers to reduce food waste, often receiving large donations from wholesale food supplier, Brakes.
Similar to SHARE Wokingham, the Wokingham Foodbank is also seeing more residents requiring its services.
The Wokingham Foodbank offers food and, where appropriate, helps with heating and lighting.
A spokesperson for the charity said on social media: “As the cost of living crisis worsens we are talking to more and more local residents who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Households who would normally donate items to the food bank are now coming to our charity for help and support.”
In 2021, the charity provided assistance to 4,759 people, thanks to the help of 84 volunteers.
Families or individuals who need help from the charity must register with a care agency, such as Wokingham Citizens Advice, Transform Housing or numerous departments in Wokingham Borough Council.
They can then request a voucher that can be exchanged at the food bank for a food parcel or help with fuel.
For more information on SHARE Wokingham visit: sharewokingham.co.uk
For more information on the Wokingham Foodbank visit: wokingham.foodbank.org.uk