Merseyside is facing a “tsunami” as it continues to battle with the growing cost of living crisis, according to food poverty campaigners.
In the last year Fans Supporting Foodbanks, an initiative launched in 2015, has fed more than 100,000 people via its mobile food pantries which operate at six sites across the city - including Walton, Toxteth, Netherley, Vauxhall, Fazakerley and West Derby. But the organisation’s chair, Dave Kelly, believes significant challenges lie ahead despite the best efforts to confront hunger and food insecurity across the region.
He told the ECHO while more people are donating to the service, the amount each person can give is being impacted by the increasing strain on household income. Next spring, it is predicted that the energy price cap freeze will be lifted from an annual average of £2,500, something which he says “doesn't bear thinking about”, such will be the impact on the most vulnerable across the city.
READ MORE: City prisoners collect food for public in grim symbol of cost of living crisis
Asked if he believes the pressure on households will grow in the months to come, he described the current situation as “being on a beach” and “waiting for the tsunami to hit.” He said: “Our previous experience, the worst part of the year is after Christmas.
“Everyone knows what's coming. We're going to experience things that none of us have ever experienced in the weeks and months ahead. Once that cap is lifted, it doesn't bear thinking about.”
Dave added that "in spite of us facing a tsunami coming towards us”, community spirit is "alive and kicking on Merseyside”, he said: “Over the seven years we've been going, in times of adversity, people have always stepped up to the plate. We certainly couldn't do what we do without people being as generous as they are.”
The food poverty campaigners, which started carrying out food bank collections outside of Goodison Park and Anfield in 2015, have faced a more challenging landscape in recent weeks due to break for the World Cup. The organisation receives a large share of its donations at home Premier League matches in the city, which started up again on Boxing Day as Everton returned to action for the first time since early November.
The team has however received support from other areas in recent weeks, with inmates at HMP Altcourse carrying out their own foodbank collections for people on the outside of the prison walls. Speaking on the donations that have helped keep thousands from going hungry, Mr Kelly added: "People who would regularly turn up and make donations of three, four five bags of shopping are now only giving one or two.
"[But] we've always tried to instil the idea of one fan bringing one can, and just before we closed for the world cup games I was astonished at the amount of young people going the match [and donating] a tin of soup out or a tin of beans. The number of individuals donating has increased but the donations might not be as big.”
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