Between 1st April 2017 and 31st March 2018, 1,890 three-day emergency food supplies were provided to local people in crisis by Somer Valley Foodbank, compared to 1,507 in the previous year. 885 went to children.

The foodbank, a member of The Trussell Trust’s network, which has reported a UK-wide increase in foodbank use, believes the local 20% increase is due to people struggling with continued issues with benefit payments, issues with Universal Credit in the area, debt, part-time and insecure work. A spokesperson for the Somer Valley Foodbank said: “Due to the increase in demand (and although the community has been very generous), we have noticed that in the past year, there has been more food going out of the foodbank than coming in.

“With the opening of a new distribution centre in Paulton, this is a worrying trend, and the Foodbank would urge people to continue with their donations.”

Paul Woodward, Foodbank Manager of the Somer Valley Foodbank said: “We don’t want to be here forever. No one in the Somer Valley area should need a foodbank’s help and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all.

“But until that time, we’ll continue to provide vital support when it matters most – we are dedicated to ensuring that people in our community with no money for food are able to access emergency support, and that has only been possible in the last year because of the incredible generosity shown by local people in donating food, time and funds. Thank you.”

The running costs for the foodbank are around £9,000 a year, all of which is raised locally to enable them to continue their work. Costs include warehouse space, to sort and stock donated food, a van to pick up donated food and deliver to distribution centres, and other overheads, like utilities and insurances. The foodbank welcomes any new offers of help with funding – local businesses, organisations and individuals interested in supporting their work can find out more at: https://somervalley.foodbank.org.uk/