Bishop's Stortford Food Bank appeals for support to feed families this winter

Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank is appealing to the community for support as it faces a winter of unprecedented demand.

On Monday (October 10) the charity, based at the Methodist Church in South Street, held an open day to highlight the challenges it faces and how to help.

Chairman of trustees Bill Macdonald told representatives of businesses, voluntary groups, other charities and schools that the Covid-19 pandemic “changed everything” for the organisation.

It transformed its operations to cope and is continuing to evolve as the cost-of-living crisis bites and more and more residents turn to the food bank.

Manager Hana Hainsby, one of two members of staff, said that demand increased by 225% from 2019 to 2020. “And since then it’s increased every year,” she said, up 15% in 2021.

Where the team used to deal with 28 vouchers for food parcels a month, they are now processing 28 a week. Instead of feeding 48 people a month, the charity is feeding 266. In June, demand hit a high with 385 people in need – more than treble the 120 in June 2021. This year the food bank is on course to help 3,200 people – up 32% on last year.

Despite the pressure, the message from trustees, staff and volunteers is unequivocal – they are committed to helping anyone and everyone in genuine need.

Emergency provisions are available and recipients can receive up to seven food parcels in a six-month period. As well as these, the charity can provide Aldi shopping vouchers and support with energy bills for individuals and households referred by agencies like Citizens Advice East Herts.

Bill was clear: nobody in need should be deterred by the prospect of admitting they need support or daunted by form-filling. Many new clients are working but can no longer make ends meet.

Hana said: “Ninety per cent of people who come into the food bank for the first time cry. Having to do that is pretty overwhelming... but by the time they leave they know it was nowhere near as bad as they thought.”

To cope with the coming demand, the food bank has a three-pronged plan. This month it is concentrating on a harvest appeal.

Trustee Jane Towns, responsible for schools and community initiatives, said: “As we look ahead to the winter, we expect demand for our services will only increase further. So far we have enough food on the shelves to provide the food parcels required, but all too often we find we're running short of some products."

She appealed to local businesses to join schools in supporting the appeal, with employees asked to donate tinned vegetables and fruit, pasta, rice or a carton of long-life milk.

In November, the Christmas giving season will begin early with the launch of the food bank’s reverse Advent calendar. Supporters are asked to donate an item a day for 24 days to help those in need enjoy the festivities too.

During December, the emphasis will be on cash donations rather than festive food.

The charity costs more than £60,000 a year to run, and trustees want to expand both its Aldi voucher system, enabling families to buy frozen fruit and vegetables and choose fresh produce, and its fuel support following huge hikes in energy prices.

Jane said: “Every item donated and every penny raised will help us to provide vital help to people in need this winter.”

Bill said his long-term hope was that the food bank would no longer be needed, but until then he was determined its doors would be open to all those in need.

For more details see https://www.bishopsstortfordfoodbank.com/.