Chichester Food Bank

Chichester District Foodbank sees a 15% rise!

This year (April 17 to March 18) Chichester District Foodbank has been busy having seen a 15% increase compared to last year. 977 three-day emergency food parcels were given out to feed 2,350 local people in crisis (947 were children), compared to 848 food parcels feeding 1,995 people in the previous year. The main reasons for this increase were due to people struggling with low income and continued issues with benefit payments. 32% of families who needed our service were working but, due to living in a district with a high cost of living, were struggling to manage. This was  compounded by the lack of social housing stock which has created a dependency on private rental, the price of which is often not covered fully because of the benefit cap and so families have to find the short fall or fall into arrears.

Unfortunately foodbank use is continuing to increase in 18/19. With the introduction of Universal Credit in July, we have already seen a 34% increase in numbers coming to us due to benefit delays/changes in its first 3 months of roll out. So as our service continues to grow to meet the increasing demand we would like to thank all our supporters who partner with us to end hunger in this district by donating food, finance and time, your generosity makes a real difference to those facing food poverty.

Events

There will be a Tesco Supermarket Collection over three days from 29th November to 1st December. If you would like to volunteer to help please
email: info@chichesterdistrict.foodbank.org.uk

Shortage Items

Our Kids Holiday Lunch Pack Scheme increased the amount of food we needed and we are so thankful to all of you who
have donated. Our shortage items are:

• tinned spaghetti
• vegetables
• meat
• fruit
• rice pudding
• potatoes
• custard
• sponge puddings
• pasta sauce
• milk and
• jam.

Gillian Keegan MP

In May Gillian Keegan MP held a surgery especially for Foodbank clients. This provided the opportunity for clients to share their stories and ask for help for specific situations. The surgery proved successful and gave Gillian an understanding of the difficult and complicated situations faced by our clients.

The Hungry Guest

Over the last few months “The Hungry Guest” bakery have provided bread for our 3 foodbank sessions in Chichester. As a staple part of a nutritious diet this has made a real difference to our clients. Thank you so much!

460 Children receive lunch packs over the summer holidays

Children who rely on free school meals during term time can find themselves facing hunger in the school holidays, due to the extra financial pressures placed upon their families to provide main meals. Last year’s report from ‘The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger’ estimated the loss of free school meals during the holidays adding between £30 to £40 a week, per child to parents’ outgoings. The report estimated that up to 3 million children are at risk of being hungry in the school holidays. Further research by the University of Glasgow highlighted evidence that suggested hunger can also cause learning loss and in severe cases learning regression due to lack of sustenance. This is further backed up by the All Party Report “Holiday Hunger Evidence Session” research conducted in England and Wales who found that children suffering from holiday hunger are likely to suffer the most severe effects of ‘learning loss’ which is cumulative year on year.

Their concentration levels deteriorate and they take the longest amount of time to readjust to school after holidays. Research also showed that children suffering from food insecurity when returning to school after the summer were malnourished. In Chichester District, WSCC figures suggest there are over a 1,000 children on free school meals due to low income that potentially could be going hungry over the school holidays. In response to this Chichester District Foodbank provides fortnightly lunch packs to children in this category who have been given a special voucher from their
local school. This summer we gave out 1086 lunch packs worth £6.90 each to 450 children. One Mum said: “The voucher and food meant that we had a good holiday rather than a fraught one, it made such a huge difference.”

Contact Us

Chichester District Foodbank
21 Orchard Street
Chichester
PO19 1DD
01234 567 899
Info@chichesterdistrict.foodbank.org.uk
www.chichesterdistrict.foodbank.org.uk