Arnold food bank spending thousands every month as 'more and more people' are struggling
A food bank in Arnold is spending more money in a month than it once did in a year to keep stocks up as “more and more people” are pushed into financial crisis. Arnold Foodbank, based at Daybrook Baptist Church in Mansfield Road, has seen demand soar amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
More than half of all visitors this year are first-time users of a food bank, and stock levels have been left depleted as a result. Helen Lloyd, its manager, said more than £3,500 has been spent in a month to keep stocks up.
“I was still having to spend some the week after,” she said. "It is an ongoing thing. £1,200 is not an unusual thing for me to spend on stock for a week.
“We spend more now in a month than we used to do in a year.” Arnold Foodbank is part of a nationwide network supported by the Trussell Trust.
The charity is working to ensure no one in the UK has to rely on a food bank to survive, and its network provides emergency food and practical support to people in need of help. Jenny Farrall-Bird, area manager for the Trussell Trust, said: “Our stock levels are not as high and affluent as they used to be. Food banks are pushed to buy more and more stock to try and fill food parcels.
“At Arnold Foodbank in the last year they have fed over 7,500 people and 65 per cent of those people used a food bank for the first time. So we are seeing more and more people being pushed into financial crisis and needing to come and use the food bank charities.”
Speaking about the issue Gedling ’s new MP, Michael Payne (Lab), said it points to the ongoing pressure of the cost of living crisis. I want to say a massive thank you to all the volunteers, and to all the residents who continue to donate,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“We have to do all we can to make sure one day we do not have to rely on food banks. I’d like to urge people to speak to the local council, Gedling Borough Council, to see what packages of support there are.
“There is the Household Support Fund, people need to make sure they are looking out for that, and they can also come to my office if they are in need of support.” Cllr Sandra Barnes (Lab), who represents Daybrook and is a policy advisor for vulnerable people, added: “There are a lot of people in need, especially at Christmas time.
“Helen [Lloyd] is wonderful. The volunteers there are brilliant, we have to keep it going. But it is a thing that has gradually got to disappear.
“Gedling Borough Council helps a lot. The councillors get money to help charities through the members’ pot.”