'We're giving away more than we're getting' says Staffordshire food bank
Staff and volunteers at a food bank are drawing on reserve stocks to keep pace with demand due to the cost of living crisis.
Rugeley Foodbank has been operating for a decade to help out residents in the town surrounding villages to stay afloat in the face of personal challenges.
The project based at Rugeley Community Centre, in Burnthill Lane, is run by Rugeley Community Church and gets good support from community groups and businesses to provide residents with access to emergency food supplies and help services, such as debt advice.
Normally the volunteers hand out an average 12,278kg of supplies between January and August, but this year figures show they have supplied 14,606kg, some 2,328 more compared to the same period in previous years.
The numbers fed in August was 69 per cent up on July. The team normally get referrals and or direct contact from 195 individuals on average per month, but this rose to 331 individuals last month.
This year it is projected to see a 43 per cent increase in the number of referrals.
Rugeley Foodbank manager Dave Webb said: "The picture is the same everywhere. All the food banks are seeing more demand. We're giving more away then we're getting in."
"The energy crisis has hit people hard and has started to filter through to food banks. This is a small town and we run the service from the church and community centre.
"We run the food bank and we also try to help residents to get to the root of cause of them being referred to us in the first place. They may have fallen in rent arrears and this gets picked up very quickly by the area's social housing provider.
"Residents are given advice on budgeting, council tax issues or whatever is affecting them. Some have experienced domestic violence and may need to move house, but then their new claims for Universal Credit takes eight weeks to be processed which could place them in considerable difficulties in that time.
"Having said that, we see success stories too. People come from that low base and after getting help they often find a new job and back on their feet. It's not just about getting food and then on your way.
"We find that a lot of people want to engage with advisors and want to change their situation."
The service is a key referral hub for Mid-Staffordshire and attracts clients from Brereton, the Ridwares, Abbotts Bromley, Colwich, the Hayward villages and Stafford. Donations of food, toiletries and money comes from schools, churches, community groups and businesses including some supermarkets.
Among key donors are the town's Tesco and Co-op branches along with Uttoxeter's Waitrose branch. While support agencies include Beacon employment training, Citizens' Advice Bureau, Staffordshire Victims Gateway, Spring Housing, St Giles Bereavement Group, Changing Rooms Counselling, mental health support, the Doctors’ Social Prescribers, a fitness and wellbeing group and ActiveAte.
