Posted: Mon 8th Dec 2014

Wrexham’s Foodbank Usage Second Highest In North Wales

Wrexham.com for people living in or visiting the Wrexham area
This article is old - Published: Monday, Dec 8th, 2014

Nearly 3000 people in Wrexham were given emergency supplies from foodbanks in a six month period – making Wrexham amongst the highest in foodbank usage in Wales. 

New figures released by The Trussell Trust Foodbank show that between April 1st and 30th September 2014 2864 people in Wrexham were provided with three days worth of emergency food – making Wrexham second highest in foodbank usage in North Wales.

The figures go on to state that of the 2864 who were given emergency food, 1899 were adults while 965 were children.

In total 39168 people across Wales were provided with three days’ emergency food between 1st April 2014 and the 30th September 2014. The County wide stats (listed below) show that Pembrokeshire had the lowest foodbank usage during the six month period, with 232 people provided with three days worth of emergency food.

Foodbank-Usage-Wales

In North Wales the highest foodbank usage came from just up the road in Flintshire, where 2958 people were given emergency food; 1088 of which were children. Across Wales however Cardiff had the highest stats, with 4743 people seeking help from foodbanks.

Wales’ figures mimic those across the country with almost 500,000 people in the UK given three days’ food in six months. This is a 38% increase on last year.

Speaking about the rise in foodbank usage, Trussell Trust Chief Executive, David McAuley said: “Whilst the rate of new foodbanks opening has slowed dramatically, we’re continuing to see a significant increase in numbers helped by foodbanks. Substantial numbers are needing help because of problems with the social security system but what’s new is that we’re also seeing a marked rise in numbers of people coming to us with ‘low income’ as the primary cause of their crisis.

“Incomes for the poorest have not been increasing in line with inflation and many, whether in low paid work or on welfare, are not yet seeing the benefits of economic recovery. Instead, they are living on a financial knife edge where one small change in circumstances or a ‘life shock’ can force them into a crisis where they cannot afford to eat.”

The charity, which runs a network of over 400 UK foodbanks, says that the number of people helped by their foodbanks in the first half of the 2014-15 financial year is 38% higher than numbers helped during the same period last year. 492,641 people were given three days’ food and support, including 176,565 children, between April and September 2014, compared to 355,982 during same period in previous year.

Trussell Trust Chairman, Chris Mould added: “Foodbank use is not rising because people are taking advantage of free food, it’s rising because more people are facing situations where they cannot afford to eat.

“Foodbank use is a last resort when other coping strategies have been exhausted. People speak of the shame and embarrassment that they feel before visiting a foodbank, and the courage it took to walk through the door. The fact that almost 500,000 people have found themselves in this situation in just six months should be deeply concerning to our nation.

“The qualitative evidence and personal stories in Emergency Use Only combined with the Trussell Trust’s latest figures should leave no one in any doubt that UK hunger is real, distressing and a problem that continues to demand urgent attention.”

You can find Wrexham Food Bank website here, or their Facebook page here.



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