A foodbank has warned of a "perfect storm" as demand for its services "close to double the demand" but donations are falling as people tighten their belts amid soaring costs.
Skelmersdale and District Food Bank issued an urgent warning as cupboards lie bare as supplies dwindle as the cost of living crisis bites. Patrick Newland, from the foodbank, said vital food supplies are running low in foodbanks across parts of Lancashire.
Mr Newland said: "It's been like the perfect storm - there's too many issues going on in the world. So there was the Ukraine crisis, then the energy crisis, and the cost of living, and it all seems to have piled up. People have not got as much money anymore to donate because they've got to look after their own well being."
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Mr Newland told LancsLive the foodbank, which operates at locations across Skelmersdale and Burscough, was seeing record numbers with over 100 people in a single day. He said demand has doubled since the cost of living crisis started.
He said: "As soon as the food arrives, it's gone again. We get quite a lot of single individuals, large families, and refugees. Skelmersdale takes in a lot of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, and Ukraine, so once they get into the community we have to support them and they become part of the community. There's such a wide range of people."
"Everything just seems to be going against people at the moment for food and energy and there just isn’t enough support out there.”
The Skelmersdale and District Food Bank posted on Facebook last week: "We are putting out an urgent message. Our warehouse is extremely empty and we are desperate for items. Please, if anyone could donate anything we would be so grateful. We are extremely short of everything but especially toothbrushes and tinned food. So if you can donate anything please bring it along."
Labour West Lancashire Borough Cllr Gareth Dowling is to meet with the foodbank organisers from Skelmersdale this week. He is leading the council's Food Insecurity Forum, and said: "It's indicative of the crisis we are in, more people needing to use the foodbank and more often, with less donations coming in as more people are stretched."
At a nearby Ormskirk pub, The Kicking Donkey, has teamed up with a local foodbank to launch a collection point after food supplies were reported to be running low. Pub landlord Matt Fallaize installed a collection point for Ormskirk Food Bank after Cllr Dowling sent out an appeal for assistance tackling stock issues at local food banks.
The dad-of-three said: "It's a sad indictment of society that it's necessary, but there we go." Cllr Dowling added: "It's indicative of the crisis we are in, more people needing to use the foodbank and more often, with less donations coming in as more people are stretched."
To donate or find out more about Skelmersdale and District Food Bank, click here. And to donate or find more details about Ormskirk Foodbank, click here.
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