A Bournemouth food charity has said the fallout from Christmas is placing intense strain on its services, as the cost of living crisis continues to push more people into need.
Hope for Food is funded entirely by donations and supports people across the entire Bournemouth area, by providing food parcels, clothing, toiletries and household essentials to individuals and families struggling to cope.
From its warehouse base, volunteers assemble care packages that include food as well as “move-in packs” for people setting up a home.
“Now, after Christmas, we’ve done so many move-in packs that we are very short on a lot of these items,” said Frances Lourence, Team Lead for household and clothes at Hope for Food.
“It’s quite tricky, we can only give what we can give, which is not an ideal situation,” Ms Lourence explained.
While donations often increase in December, staff say January is the most difficult month of the year.
Mary Duncan, Operations Manager at the charity, added: “It’s very easy, after the Christmas period and all the festivities, to forget that actually people need to keep living and eating every week of the year.”
Rising costs are also hitting the charity.
Frances Lourence said the charity ‘only gives what it can’
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Four years ago, a basic parcel cost between £10 and £15, now it costs up to £20, while rent and electricity bills continue to rise.
Ms Duncan said inflation has reduced both donations and disposable income.
“Since inflation was ridiculously high and the price of food has gone up, not only are there people struggling and therefore need help from the food bank, but other people are struggling as well, so they don’t necessarily have the spare capacity to donate.”
A basic parcel costs up to £20 to produce while rent and electricity bills continue to rise
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She also warned that the future for this charity is uncertain.
“As far as our sustainability is concerned, if I were to think too deeply about that I might have sleepless nights,” she said.
“People do rely on us and we just hope that we are able to keep up with any demand that there is.”