Charlotte's Story

"I was caught without a TV licence years ago. I had moved house several times but without warning the bailiffs turned up and wanted to take all my furniture and the kids stuff. They said I would go to prison if the auction didn't pay the debt.So I had to pay a huge amount of money without warning and now I have no money left for food."

Thanks to Charlotte for sharing her story with us.

Terry's Story

"When I was sick my benefits were stopped. I'd put a sick note in but hadn't got to the DWP centre so they just stopped my benefit."

Thanks to Terry for sharing why he had to visit the Foodbank.

Road to Warehouse Open

You can now get to our warehouse using the normal route. Click here for directions.

Mike's Story

"I came here today because I needed some help to obtain food for me and my partner. The reason for this is that the dole have not as yet sorted my new claim for ESA. I am very grateful for the help and the service that has been provided and given to me here today. Very relaxing and calm atmosphere too. Nice place to be."

Thanks to Mike for sharing his story with us whilst he was visiting one of our Foodbank centres.

Alan's Story

"I lost my job just before Christmas and have been claiming JSA since then. Unfortunately due to a sanction I have had my Job Seekers Allowance stopped leaving me with no money for food. I have had to collect a food parcel from West Cheshire Foodbank. I am grateful this is here: I would not have been able to get by without it. Thank you."

Our thanks to Alan for sharing his story with us whilst visiting one of our Foodbank centres.

Derek's Story

"I have changed our benefits from JSA to ESA and because it means I am not actually looking for work they have cut my benefits from £57 per week to £11.20 per week. How are you supposed to live on this amount of money?"

Our thanks to Derek for sharing this whilst collecting an emergency food parcel at one of our Foodbank Centres.

DEFRA Releases Household Food Security Report

The long awaited report into Household Food Security, which has been delayed for several months was finally released today. It can be found here.

Bishops blame David Cameron for food bank crisis

Below is the full text of the bishops' letter to the Government, first published in the Daily Mirror. It was signed by 27 Anglican bishops, as well as 16 senior clergy from other denominations.

Sir,

Britain is the world’s seventh largest economy and yet people are going hungry. Half a million people have visited food banks in the UK since last Easter and 5,500 people were admitted to hospital in the UK for malnutrition last year.

One in five mothers report regularly skipping meals to better feed their children , and ever more families are just one unexpected bill away from waking up with empty cupboards. We often hear talk of hard choices.

Surely few can be harder than that faced by the tens of thousands of older people who must “heat or eat” each winter, harder than those faced by families who’s wages have stayed flat while food prices have gone up 30% in just five years.

Yet beyond even this we must, as a society, face up to the fact that over half of people using food banks have been put in that situation by cut backs to and failures in the benefit system, whether it be payment delays or punitive sanctions.

On March 5th Lent will begin. The Christian tradition has long been at this time to fast, and by doing so draw closer to our neighbour and closer to God. On March 5th we will begin a time of fasting while half a million regularly go hungry in Britain. We urge those of all faith and none, people of good conscience, to join with us.

There is an acute moral imperative to act. Hundreds of thousands of people are doing so already, as they set up and support food banks across the UK. But this is a national crisis, and one we must rise to.

We call on government to do its part: acting to investigate food markets that are failing, to make sure that work pays, and to ensure that the welfare system provides a robust last line of defence against hunger.

You can find out more and join in at:

http://endhungerfast.co.uk/

Related Articles:

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/20/bishops-blame-cameron-food-bank-crisis

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/27-bishops-slam-david-camerons-3164033

Alex's Story

"We have just got back together after a break. Because of this, we signed on at the Jobcentre together but as a result they have stopped our claim. We have no money at this moment in time and are struggling with bills and living costs."

Thank you to Alex for sharing this with us whilst visiting one of our Foodbank centres.

Gary's Story

"My benefit has been sanctioned from September to March. This has put me into debt with British Gas and United Utilities. I've been struggling because I need to pay the rent."

Thank you to Gary for sharing this with us whilst visiting one of our Foodbank Centres.

Louis' Story

"Over the Christmas period my partner found employment. This was meant to help with bills and allow us to buy presents for our children. Because of this however, the jobcentre suspended our claims for JSA. We can only start claiming again once my partner's P45 has been sent in and assessed and there is still no guarantee that we will receive any money."

Thank you so much to Louis for sharing his story whilst visiting one of our Foodbanks.

Warehouse Road Closed

Stanney Mill Road, which leads to our warehouse from the M53 is currently closed whilst work is carried out on the bridge. Access is only possible through Ellesmere Port town onto Oil Sites Road - Bridge Road - New Bridge Road. You can call us on 0151 355 7730 for further information during opening hours.

Sorry for the inconvenience. We'll let you know once the road is open again. You can follow this blog by email to make sure you receive our updates. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.

Carol and Trevor's Story

"We have worked all our lives and now, when support is needed it does not seem to be there. When people are married they seem to be penalised. When my husband had a stroke which stopped him working we were really worrying about how we could manage and we're finding it all too much. Thanks to this Foodbank. It is a help. Thankyou."

Thanks to Carol and Trevor for sharing this with us.

 

Ralph's Story

"Ralph is dyslexic and cannot read or write. He lost the help of his support worker, Andrew,  who previously sorted out budgeting and other paperwork for him. He got into rent arrears, was evicted and lost his furniture to the bailiffs. He has been staying at a night shelter for approximately four months now and is still waiting for accommodation. He should be receiving Job Seekers Allowance of £70 per week in the future."

 

Thank you to Ralph for sharing his story with our volunteers, who supported him to record it.

 

John and Janet's Story, Wandsworth Foodbank

Thanks to John and Janet for sharing their story, and to Wandsworth Foodbank for putting this video together.