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Foodbank launches Every Meal Matters campaign to thwart looming crisis

21st September 2021

Worcester Foodbank is launching an urgent harvest appeal for tinned food donations in a bid to thwart the threat of more people having to skip meals this autumn.

The charity is launching its Every Meal Matters campaign amid rocketing demand for emergency food and just days before Universal Credit claimants are set to see their payments reduced by £20 a week.

It is feared the cut – combined with rising energy costs and the end of the Government’s furlough support – could put unprecedented pressure on foodbank’s supplies with 50 tonnes of food expected to be distributed before the end of the year.

Volunteers are appealing to foodbank supporters to donate a series of tinned items that it could run short of – including tinned vegetables, fruit, cold meats, potatoes, rice pudding or custard. It hopes to have sufficient donations to help ensure no-one is forced to skip meals due to the pressure of low income.

Grahame Lucas, Worcester Foodbank Manager, said: “There is a terrible crisis looming for low-income households and we’re already seeing the impact at our warehouse.”

“The rise we’ve witnessed in child hunger has been particularly distressing but by donating a few tins of food during harvest people can at least help us to ensure no adult or child we support has to skip meals.”

Research from the Trussell Trust found that 1 in 5 Universal Credit claimants are likely to skip meals when their payments are reduced from October.

But a crisis is already taking shape in Worcester with foodbank having fed 777 people during August – up more than 80 per cent compared to the same month last year. It means volunteers are now giving out more food than they are receiving in donations – despite taking in nearly 8 tonnes during August.

Low income remains the biggest cause of referrals to foodbank with a growing number of people struggling to cover the cost of essentials – a problem set to be exacerbated in the coming months.

A copy of foodbank’s longer shopping list can be found here

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