LOCAL charity Fair Frome, which runs the foodbank, has said they are seeing an ‘unprecedented demand’ for its services as rises in food and fuel costs and National Insurance continue to impact local families.

The charity has also reported that food donations have dropped ‘significantly’ as donors struggle themselves to make ends meet. The crisis has also made their search for new bigger premises – to help accommodate the rise in demand for their services – even more urgent.
Chair of trustees, Bob Ashford said, “Cost of living rises are having a calamitous impact on many local families who are having to choose between eating and heating.
“Over 40% of people using our foodbank are in work, but just not earning enough to counter the huge rises which have come over the past months. Benefits and wages haven’t come near to keeping pace with inflation and as a result, we are seeing people who would never have dreamt they would need our services.
“Looking at our figures for foodbank usage for April this year, they have doubled since April last year and we expect this rise to continue.
“At the same time, donations have dropped as people who regularly donate find themselves in difficulties. As a result, comparing the same months, food donations are down 1,000kgs a month since last year.
“This has meant empty shelves and us having to purchase food to try and keep up with demand, which is straining our finances.
“Food banks of course aren’t the solution, what is needed is a wages and welfare system which is fit for purpose. At the same time, we want to do everything we can with our very supportive Frome community to try and alleviate immediate need.”
The charity has made a call-out for supplies to cover the shortfalls in food donations and is also encouraging people to take up the ‘Bank the Food’ app, which is run by a charity and is free to download.
This app is free to use and not only sends users a notification via the app of what is needed most when they are out shopping, but it also reduces food waste by showing users what is not needed at the foodbank.
Fair Frome coordinators, Rosie Oakley and Lenka Grimes said, “We are desperate for food donations, which can be dropped off at supermarkets and other venues across town or at the Fair Frome Centre behind the Town Hall.
“Our wonderful volunteers are working flat out to keep up with demand. Our current needs are soup, sauces for rice, custard, jam, rice, tinned vegetables and washing up liquid.
“We encourage people to download the app Bank the Food as it will not only help us increase donations to the foodbank, but also help our donors buy the most needed items for the foodbank.”
To support Fair Frome, visit their Facebook Page, website www.fairfrome.org or download the free ‘Bank the Food’ app from your app store.