Foodbank sees rise in number of users

In 2016 the Sutton foodbank at St Mary’s Church fed 3,967 people in total, 1,000 of which were children.

But that number has risen in 2017 to 4,941, including 1,460 children with the final weeks of the year yet to be counted.

Eric Saxton, the chair of the foodbank’s management committee, said that more and more people are coming to them for help.

He said: “Benefit sanctions are one reason for the huge increase.

“There has also been a notable rise in the numbers of homeless people attending the foodbank.”

The foodbank has received lots of donations from generous members of the public, including local schoolchildren, and from businesses such as Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Greggs.

This includes both normal food donations and special Christmas deliveries of presents to give to children whose families use the foodbank.

The volunteers who make up the food parcels and serve the clients are rushed off their feet making up and giving out the much-needed parcels to make sure nobody goes hungry this Christmas.

In 2016, the foodbank.

Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero visited the Sutton foodbank and a foodbank in Eastwood to thank volunteers for their hard work ahead of the Christmas period.

Ms De Piero said: “I was so humbled to meet the foodbank co-ordinators and volunteers who make me so proud of our community.

“It was also great to hear how generous local people and businesses are with their donations.

“It is not right that in this day and age people have to rely on foodbanks to keep themselves and their families fed, but I am so glad that we have these wonderful volunteers who go out of their way to help them.”