'We will have no choice but reduce our services' - Bridgnorth Foodbank fears for future as donations halve
A foodbank that helps up to 100 adults and children each week in a Shropshire town has said it has seen its donations halve and is facing severe cutbacks to its service.
Bridgnorth Foodbank was set up more than 10 years ago. The independent charity has proved to be one of the more successful foodbanks in the county, thanks to the generosity of the locals, helping around 100 adults and children each week.
But volunteers at the foodbank, which opens every Monday, are concerned after donations of both food and money have almost halved.
Phil Webster, a fundraiser for Bridgnorth Foodbank, said they are facing severe reductions to their services.
“Bridgnorth in the past has been hugely generous with their support but everybody is feeling the pinch," he said.
“There has been a 40 per cent reduction in food donations across the board, both here and in Sainsbury's and at Aldi where people donate but we have also seen a 50 per cent fall in financial donations.
“It is the economic situation. Everyone is feeling the pinch. We used to get support from local groups but they have all been hit.”
He added that if things do not pick up the foodbank will be forced to make some difficult decisions.
He said: "We are having to reduce what we give out. It is not critical at the moment yet but it will be in three to six months. We will have to halve the amount of food we give to people.
“We are also in a position where we will have to try to weed people out who perhaps don't need the support as much as others do. It's not what we want but we need to get back to where we were 12 months ago.”
He said things such as the Citizens Advice Bureau support service, who visit the foodbank each Monday to offer advice to people in need, may need to be cut.
“We had a major donor, a retired businessman, who helps fund our work with the Citizens Advice Bureau, but they have put their costs up so we will now have to cut the amount they come to perhaps every other Monday instead of every week," said Phil. “We are competing with so many charities. I've never seen so many in the supermarkets down here, we are all fighting for a shrinking size.
“What we need is long-term support from people. Anybody that has even a small amount they can spare each month, if it is regular we can plan.
“We are the major foodbank around here, we support not just people in the town but also people from Highley and Broseley, so we are hoping that groups and fundraisers around the area will consider putting us down as one of the charities they support.
"Otherwise we will be reducing our services to people.”
