Monday, April 21, 2014

Food banks see donations surge after being criticised by Mail on Sunday

Number of Trussell Trust donors jumps after article accuses charity of failing to run proper checks on food parcel claimants


Bromley borough food bank
Volunteer David Waters, 68, packs food into bags at the Bromley borough foodbank in Orpington, part of The Trussell Trust. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

Britain's biggest food bank provider has seen a surge in donations after a Mail on Sunday article criticised the charity for failing to run proper checks on people claiming food parcels.

Before the article, there had been about 250 public donations since the Trussell Trust launched its JustGiving page in late January. That jumped to more than 3,300, worth more than £36,000. Several donors cited the article as the reason for contributing.

"The Mail on Sunday story appalled me. This is the least I can do to apologise for their crime," said Anonymous after donating £10.

Another, Spitting Feathers, said: "I am incensed by the disgraceful article. Call this journalism? I don't. I'm not a Christian and admire the work being done by human beings for their fellow human beings. Thank you."

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