High Peak food banks see a surge in demand as cost of living crisis deepens

As the cost of living continues to soar, more and more people across the High Peak are turning to the services of the food banks to help make ends meet.

But as demand for services is increasing with more people struggling, less people are in a position to be able to donate either food items, or money, causing further strain on the charities.

Nev Clarke, from Whaley Bridge Food Bank, said: “In the last month we have gone from helping a dozen people a week to ten people a day.

“We used to get around 12 bags of donations every week but now we are only getting four or five.”

Many families are being hit hard by the cost of living crisis, with food, fuel and energy prices all on the rise. But wages are not rising to match, leaving many people facing the impossible choice between heating and eating.

Nev said: “Most of the people we are helping have had a tough couple of years.

“They have had reduced hours because of the pandemic or were furloughed but still had the same expenses and outgoings and had no choice but to put things on their credit cards and are now in debt they can’t get out of it. We are all much closer to being homeless than being millionaires.”

The food bank is currently being supported with a £1,000 cash donation from a Whaley Bridge resident and although that is helping the charity, Nev said he is aware it is not a finite resource and will run out.

“We only set up the food bank a year ago and we had people who said Whaley Bridge didn’t need a food bank but time and time again we are here to help those who really are struggling,” he added.

“It’s sad we are needed but I’m glad we are because what would happen to people if we weren’t here?

“And I honestly believe this is only the start of things to come as the price hikes come from the energy bills in a few weeks.”

April will see the energy cap, which was introduced in October, scrapped. This will mean the cap which limits what a firm can charge will be gone. And energy users will likely feel the change straight away as direct debits will be upped based on annual usage.

National Insurance payments will also be increasing from April and with higher outgoings more people have turned to food banks to help make ends meet.

Over at the High Peak Foodbank in Buxton, volunteers are seeing the same problem. Paul Bohan, from the food bank, said: “We used to give out seven day food parcels but due to more people needing us and less donations we have had to drop that down to five days.

“For a couple of years we have been working with the Country Food Trust who shoot pheasants and make meals out of them.

“Thankfully we have more than 1,000 meals of either pheasant curry, casserole or bolognese in our stocks we are able to give out to people in need.”

The charity says its catchment area has extended in recent months as the demand from people comes from all over the High Peak and Hope Valley.

Paddy Bann, founder of Chapel-en-le-Frith Good Neighbour Food Distribution Network, is also worried about the future.

He said: “We’re in dire straits. We have seen a 30 per cent increase of people asking for help but our donations have dropped off.

“It’s the same story everywhere – everyone is struggling and we are all doing more with less.

“People are in need and the people who would have normally donated are feeling the pinch too.

“I’m waiting for things to go bad when the prices rise so I just want to let people know we are here and can help those who need it.”

For anyone struggling help is available.

* The official hours for Whaley Bridge Food Bank are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12noon to 3pm but if the doors of the Transhipment Warehouse at Canal Street, Whaley Bridge are open so is the food bank. Call 07920 253075 or visit https://www.whaleybridgecanal.org/whaleyfoodbank.

* Those needing help from High Peak Foodbank should contact [email protected] or visit http://www.highpeakfoodbank.co.uk/ 01298 214926.

* The Chapel Good Neighbour Food Distribution Network will continue to support people for up to a maximum of 12 weeks. For help email [email protected] call 01298 881067 or visitwww.chapelfoodnetwork.com.

* New Mills Helping Hands offers a food delivery service and can be contacted on 07425 177999 or [email protected].

* The Residents of Fairfield Association also offers a foodshare scheme. Contact ROFA on 01298 73904.

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