Food bank use rises by more than a third across North Wales

Data from the Trussell Trust, the UK’s largest food bank network which has 25 sites across the North Wales counties, showed the total number of three-day and weekly parcels given out had risen by 35.3 per cent during the period from April to September.

The number of children receiving parcels increased by 39.6 per cent, while adults rose by 32 per cent, according to the charity’s Mid-year Statistics 2020 published on November 12.

These increases are lower than the UK average use of Trussell Trust food banks, which saw a total increase of 47 per cent in food parcels given out across the UK, but higher than the Wales average at 21 per cent. The UK average increase for adults was 44 per cent, while the number of children using food banks rose by 52 per cent.

This shows that families with children were in greater need of emergency food parcels, typically including tinned meat and vegetables, bread, butter, cereals and other non-perishable items.

Credit: Scott Clarke

The Welsh Government also provided food parcels to residents who needed them via local authorities, suggesting a larger number of people were reliant on food banks than figures reflected by pre-pandemic support networks.

The Trussell Trust said that its UK figures for the April to June period saw an 83 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, with a similar but lower increase expected in the North Wales.

At the same time, food banks had to follow social distancing guidelines by closing to provide delivery services, which limited face-to-face advice and signposting that many offer to users.

Independent food banks in North Wales, a number of which did not have year-on-year figures available, also said they faced a huge surge in demand that left them reeling for extra support from the government, local authorities and members of the public.

Credit: Scott Clarke

Food bank leaders said the increase was due to single people, couples and families struggling amid the challenges posed by the coronavirus lockdown including job losses, temporary lay-offs and sickness.

Idris Humphreys, chairman of the Vale of Clwyd Foodbank network for the towns of Denbigh and Ruthin and surrounding villages, said it has faced an “extremely difficult year” that was complicated by social distancing restrictions.

“We are in contact with other food banks in North Wales and everyone has anticipated a rise in demand,” he said.

“Our food bank has not had a shortage of food but the difficulty has been that our two food banks have been physically closed, so we have had to deliver to homes and leave parcels on the doorstep on a no-contact basis. This has meant we have not had a chance to talk to people, to find out why they need to come and refer them to agencies.”

Credit: Scott Clarke

Roy Fyles, 81, who set up the Anglesey Foodbank with the Trussell Trust nine years ago, said demand shot up in March and April before falling over the summer.

“We had a big spike in March until mid-July and then it quietened off until early November when it started getting busy again,” he said. “There always is an increase at this time of year but it is still not as busy as the first three months which was quite a challenge.

“We were doing in a day what we would normally do in a week.”

James Longden, volunteer at the independent King’s Storehouse Foodbank in Rhyl, which is not supported by large donation schemes such as FareShare, said it struggled to get food during the early lockdown months.

Credit: Scott Clarke

“The coronavirus pandemic has been a very tough period,” he said. “At the start it was difficult to get enough supply of food.

“At the peak of lockdown we were helping 80 families per week, and although at the moment we are not at that number we need to plan ahead in case more is needed.

“We have been close to not being able to provide food to families, but always manage to get things in in time.”

Credit: Scott Clarke

During the April to September period, the number of people supported by Universal Credit in the UK has increased by almost 90 per cent, from three million to 5.6 million.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Volunteers in food banks have been working hard under extremely difficult circumstances to make sure support is there for people struggling to afford essentials. But it is not right that any of us are forced to a charity for food, at any time of year.

“This pandemic has shown the unexpected can hit us suddenly, with devastating consequences for people’s lives. But it has also shown we can make huge changes to the way we live and look after each other. It has shown that when we come together to push for change, the government responds. Together, we can build a hunger free future.”