"I met a lady the other day who said 'I've been on disability benefits for years and I've always managed. But now, ends just don't meet, I can't make the figures add up'."
The story was recounted today by Emma Shepherd, project manager of the Trussell Trust's Cardiff Foodbank and her tale is no doubt re-told up and down the country by thousands of others in the same predicament.
In the worst cost-of-living crisis in modern times, Trussell Trust has issued its first ever emergency appeal today and is calling on the UK Government to provide support for those on low incomes, although following the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss on October 20, the Government will, once again, be entering a period of severe turbulence.
Emma said the stats for the last six months from April-September this year at the Cardiff Foodbank had shown a dramatic increase in those needing their help. "We knew that it had got busier but we were really surprised because we've actually seen almost a 42% increase in demand since this time last year and that was only up until the end of September, so things are going to get a lot worse." You can get more Swansea and Cardiff news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Read more: The pizza shop giving away free hot takeaway meals to people using a foodbank
In the first time in the history of Trussell Trust, the gap between donations and food being distributed is growing and foodbanks have used up all the reserved stock that they needed to get through the winter. Foodbanks across the UK are now having to purchase three times as much food as they did last year. In 2021, foodbanks were spending an average of £750 a month of their own funds to top up donations. In 2022, this has almost doubled to £1,400 a month.
Across Cardiff Foodbank's eight centres, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis is witnessed by staff everyday. "On the ground, people are saying it is noticeably busier," said Emma. The project manager also added that they were seeing much more people use the Cardiff foodbank who were working. "The numbers just aren't adding up. They're getting a wage and they're maybe getting a top-up with universal credit but it's just not enough to live off." You can read more stories about Cardiff here.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “Faced with the perfect storm of rising energy prices, inflation and a potential recession that is pushing people deeper into poverty, the soaring cost of living is driving a tsunami of need to food banks. Through this emergency appeal we hope to raise the vital funds required to ensure that food banks can meet this devastating rise in need and continue to support people who are experiencing hardship. We never wanted to run an appeal like this, we would rather there was no need for food banks at all. But right now they are on the frontline of this cost of living emergency, we have no other option."
Sketty Foodbank, which is an independent facility in Swansea, has seen a huge increase in monthly figures this year. In October, 2021, the foodbank fed 150 people and just last month this had rocketed to 500 people needing its help. You can read more stories about Swansea here.
Audrey Reece, a trustee of Sketty Foodbank, said "Since January, we have noticed people who have jobs and are on an income needing to use the foodbank. Prices have gone up so much that it's a choice between heating the house and putting food on the table."
In a social media post by the foodbank, Audrey wrote, "Sadly, donations have not increased at the same rate as our users and this is of great concern to us - we are having to rationalise what we give out in order to help as many people as we can."
Items such as sugar, tortilla wraps, jam and bleach have become luxuries that foodbanks cannot afford to give out. Staff at Sketty foodbank were forced to take these and many other items out of their parcels to keep costs down after facing a 30% increase in food costs since January, 2022.
Karen Hughes, a volunteer at Blaenymaes Drop-in Centre, which holds a food share scheme three times a week, said donations had remained steady due to Harvest donations from schools and local businesses.
The drop-in centre has been able to meet demand so far, but Karen said she had noticed that a lot of people had to top-up between £50-£100 a week on their gas and electric meters. "With the food prices rising and obviously these ridiculous prices on gas and electric, people are struggling. People have to top-up their meters just to have hot water."
Dave Ward, a spokesperson for the Trussell Trust's Swansea Foodbank, said "Like other foodbanks across the nation, we are finding an increase in demand from people needing our help. Without the support we receive from so many people who either donate food or financial support we would struggle to keep up with demand." The foodbank did not have current figures available but Dave said they were expecting to feed about 1,000 people each month and a third of that number would be children.
The Trussell Trust is calling for the UK Government to provide a package of support targeted at people on the lowest income. Emma Revie said: "No-one should need to turn to charity for something as essential as food."
You can donate to the trust's emergency appeal here. Other independent foodbanks are also appealing for donations and Audrey Reece of Sketty Foodbank said "We're all in the same boat. Support any foodbank you can, we're all doing the same thing and working to the same goal."
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