Kent meals banks warn demand has reached disaster level | EUROtoday

The variety of individuals combating starvation has risen a lot meals banks say they will barely cope.

According to the most recent Trussell Trust statistics greater than 14.1 million individuals within the UK went hungry within the final yr due to poverty – up from 11.6 million in 2022.

Nourish Community Foodbank, which helps individuals throughout Tunbridge Wells, and south Tonbridge, in Kent, mentioned issues had reached “crisis point”.

The UK authorities had beforehand mentioned it could deal with the rise in meals financial institution dependence.

Dawn Stanford, Nourish’s operations director, mentioned the charity was at a disaster level.

“It’s a pretty depressing picture,” she mentioned. “We are facing the worst crisis since we started 13 years ago.

“I believe we have now seen a 37% enhance in referrals this yr.”

She said the monetary donations they were getting were “not sufficient”, adding: “We are going through arduous selections within the coming months to make sure we can be right here subsequent yr.”

The cost of living crisis, she added, meant people were not able to donate in the way they once could – it was once sustained entirely by them.

Ms Stanford said: “Now we’re getting about 25% donated and we’re having to buy 75% to cowl referrals.”

At Faversham Food Bank chairman of trustees, Dominic Deeson, said they had also seen a drop in donations.

“This is the price of residing disaster, meals inflation and so forth,” he mentioned.

“People are form to us however they’re struggling themselves in some instances.”

They were still getting enough, but things were getting harder.

Mr Deeson said: “We are getting nearer to having to purchase meals to maintain up with demand.

“We have not quite got there but I can see it coming. For the first time we are asking people in Faversham to give us financial donations.”

This summer time Kent County Council (KCC) began a meals voucher scheme for struggling households, however functions for that closed on 26 August.

In May the Trussell Trust mentioned a 56% enhance in meals parcels given to households with youngsters within the South East within the final 5 years ought to be a “wake-up call”.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) mentioned: “This government is determined to tackle the unacceptable rise in food bank dependence.

“In addition to extending free faculty meals and guaranteeing the poorest youngsters do not go hungry within the holidays with £1bn to reform disaster assist, our Child Poverty Taskforce will publish an bold technique later this yr.”

KCC has been approached for remark.