Soaring demand for Shropshire food banks
Rocketing numbers of people are being forced to use food banks across Shropshire to help feed themselves, it was revealed today.
Volunteers who run the services say they are being swamped by the demand as austerity measures and the continuing economic climate continue to bite.
Peter Baker, from Shrewsbury Food Bank, said: "There is most definitely an increase in the number of people using food banks, there is a whole wide range of people.
"We are talking about families and in particular single people who find themselves out of work. With the benefit changes that have recently come into place, that has had another serious effect.
"We get up to a maximum of 50 families per week. There has been an increase from 30 – that is just from the start of the year."
He said that the food bank, which operates out of Barnabas Community Church in Longden Coleham, was continually on the lookout for donations from members of the public.
Volunteers running a similar service in Oswestry said they had seen the amount of food handed out quadruple over the past 14 months.
More than 1,000 people have been helped since the food bank opened in November 2011.
Ruth Davies, who administers the food parcels scheme in Ludlow, said in 2005, when the scheme started, there were 40 food parcels issued.
She added: "So far this year we have distributed 78 and we are not even a third of the way through the year."
Michael Day, a leading figure with Churches Together, which aims to fight poverty in Ludlow, said: "Austerity is beginning to bite even those who may have previously enjoyed a reasonably comfortable lifestyle."
Telford's food bank has helped more than 200 adults and 100 children since opening less than a month ago. The food bank opened on April 2 as part of the Telford Crisis Network alongside other organisations such as Telford & Wrekin Council and Citizens Advice Bureau.
Jake Bennett, co-ordinator for Telford Crisis Network, said: "We deal with a lot of people who are having problems with benefit delays but it is not the majority."
Stephen Derges, pastor at Bridgnorth Baptist Church, who helped to set up the town's food bank, said: "People are referred to us from outside agencies, such Citizens Advice Bureau, Shropshire Council and housing associations.
"We have already seen 20 to 25 individuals since opening in March 4, but we can only see that increasing."
