It's going to be a tough Christmas holiday for foodbanks, with the UK's biggest provider expecting to hand out more than three million meals to hungry families.
Soaring food prices, interest rates and huge energy bills are being blamed for what the Trussell Trust is expecting to be its hardest winter yet amid the cost of living crisis.
This time last year, the Trust - which runs more than 1,300 foodbanks throughout the UK, including many in the North East, gave away 257,500 emergency parcels, each containing ingredients for three meals a day for three days, the equivalent of 2,317,500 meals. But the Trussell Trust has already given way more than 32% more parcels between April and September than the same period last year, so are braced for a busy festive time.
