The emergency food providers estimated 15,000 would be seeking help – almost double last year’s figure of 8,454
Record numbers of people are turning to food banks to feed their families at Christmas this year.
The emergency food providers estimated 15,000 would be seeking help – almost double last year’s figure of 8,454.
Lily Mockett, who runs the Weymouth and Portland Food Bank, said: “We had some families with four and five children who were absolutely desperate coming in on Christmas Day. It’s heartbreaking.
“A lot of people have struggled since the changes to the benefits system earlier this year.
“One minute they’re getting a certain amount of benefit and then the system changes and they’re left with nothing.
“In the last year we’ve fed over 800 people and that’s an indictment on the government.”
Charity the Trussell Trust has almost doubled the number of food banks it oversees from 149 to 293 in the last year.
Stockport Food Bank opened this year in time for Christmas.
One mum-of-four from the town said: “For months I’ve struggled to feed my children.
"This year I was given a hamper from my local food bank three days before Christmas.
“The day after was the first day I can remember not feeling scared about feeding my family.”
The Trust’s Molly Hodson said: “Christmas food is such a simple thing but it has a massive impact.”
Demand on the Trust has increased almost 10-fold since the economic downturn in 2008, from 26,000 in 2008-09 to an estimated 230,000 for 2012-13.
Mirror
The emergency food providers estimated 15,000 would be seeking help – almost double last year’s figure of 8,454.
Lily Mockett, who runs the Weymouth and Portland Food Bank, said: “We had some families with four and five children who were absolutely desperate coming in on Christmas Day. It’s heartbreaking.
“A lot of people have struggled since the changes to the benefits system earlier this year.
“One minute they’re getting a certain amount of benefit and then the system changes and they’re left with nothing.
“In the last year we’ve fed over 800 people and that’s an indictment on the government.”
Charity the Trussell Trust has almost doubled the number of food banks it oversees from 149 to 293 in the last year.
Stockport Food Bank opened this year in time for Christmas.
One mum-of-four from the town said: “For months I’ve struggled to feed my children.
"This year I was given a hamper from my local food bank three days before Christmas.
“The day after was the first day I can remember not feeling scared about feeding my family.”
The Trust’s Molly Hodson said: “Christmas food is such a simple thing but it has a massive impact.”
Demand on the Trust has increased almost 10-fold since the economic downturn in 2008, from 26,000 in 2008-09 to an estimated 230,000 for 2012-13.
Mirror
