Harvest appeal boosts foodbank - The Worcester Observer

Harvest appeal boosts foodbank

Worcester Editorial 5th Nov, 2014 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

MORE than three tonnes of food has been donated to Worcester Foodbank after churches, schools and other organisations dug deep to support its harvest festival appeal.

Stock levels at the Carden Close centre have been steadily rising over the past month as donations from festival celebrations held across the city have flooded in.

The surge in support has come at a critical time for the foodbank as it battles to cope with the rising demand for food from desperate families and individuals.

So far this year volunteers have handed out about 29 tonnes of food to more than 3,600 people – up 14 per cent on this time last year.




Grahame Lucas, Worcester Foodbank manager, said his team of volunteers had been overwhelmed at people’s generosity.

“The demand for food continues to grow but thankfully so does people’s generosity – we are so grateful to everyone who has dug deep to help us,” he said.


“Without this level of support the hundreds of men, women and children we are able to help every month would simply go hungry.”

Among the most generous supporters were pupils and staff at The Chantry School in Martley who together collected almost 700kg of food, while Cherry Orchard Primary School weighed in with 420kg.

But with the demand for food parcels expected to increase further as the winter draws closer, Mr Lucas urged people to continue to give generously.

“We are seeing more and more families come through the doors and are feeding more children than ever before. So many people are struggling to make ends meet and the situation only appears to be getting worse,” Mr Lucas added.

Mr Lucas said foodbank had run out of sponge puddings and instant mash and was also running low on items including UHT fruit juice; tinned meats and pies; 0.5kg bags of sugar and tinned custard.

People wanting to donate can leave food in the collection points in Tesco Warndon; Asda or bring them to foodbank on Carden Close on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am to 2pm.

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