'Food poverty is far greater than I ever imagined' Bedfordshire charity reveals working families now relying on its help
A Bedfordshire charity is aiming to raise awareness as it reveals more people than ever before, including working families, are struggling to make ends meet and are relying on its help.
The Need Project – a foodbank which collects, packs and distributes food parcels to people in need – delivers an average of 680 parcels a month across Central Bedfordshire towns including Stotfold, Sandy and Shefford with help from volunteers.
Since April 2022, food prices have risen by 30.7 percent according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The rising costs mean The Need Project is struggling to keep up with the growing demand for its services, despite donations remaining steady.
Ellie Hamilton, project leader at The Need Project, said: “Raising awareness is important because it is so close to home.
“We may receive a referral for a full household, two people who work, who just can’t make it. It's affecting everybody, which is so sad, and it's very local. It's shocking.”
The foodbank, based in Stotfold, also runs a ‘best before’ shop so people can collect food that has expired from supermarket shelves.
Donations are made by supermarkets, schools and churches, and Ellie said it is “fully supported” by the council in its efforts to fight the food crisis.
Caroline Lewis, a volunteer for The Need Project, said: “People just assume that we get masses of food in and that we just give it out to those that need it. We don’t. We have to buy a huge amount of our food.
“I wasn’t aware at all about how bad food poverty was. I just imagined that there were a few people in need, but it is far greater than I ever imagined.”
Those in need are referred by external organisations to the charity, who organise food parcels based on the size of the household.
The charity can also provide guidance through its wider network of services. Ellie said although The Need Project specialises in food support, it can signpost people to the right charities for them.
Caroline said: “Please talk to your neighbours, find out who they are and if they need help.
“I don’t think that we speak to our local community enough and if we did speak to our neighbours, we could all together become a better society”
To help charities like The Need Project, visit its website for information on how to donate or become a volunteer. Sharing and following its social media page will also allow it to reach more people in need.