Cost of living leaves food bank appealing for help

World events have conspired to create a "perfect storm" that has affected donations to a city food bank, its chief executive has said.

Seamus Connolly says the situation got so bad at Ely Foodbank that the team had to appeal for supplies on social media as "shelves were empty".

Ely Foodbank is an independent charity in Cambridgeshire, operating across eight sites and providing emergency food supplies to about 9,000 people every year.

Connolly said global conflicts had led to increases in fuel and heating costs, adding: "The people we help are affected, but so are the ones who donate to us, you could say it is a perfect storm."

A spokeswoman for Trussell, the anti-poverty charity that provides food banks and works closely with Ely Foodbank, said many were admitting to being "at breaking point".

Connolly says that the social media appeal has been successful so far and that supplies were replenished by the "generosity of our supporters".

"We live in a world where the cost-of-living increases are very prevalent, we see increases in fuel and heating due to wars in the Ukraine and the Middle East, the people we help are affected, but so are the ones who donate to us, you could say it is a perfect storm," he added.

He said that the current situation was a "real challenge" but added that he was confident that things would improve, although he could not predict when.

Carol Banks has volunteered for the Ely Foodbank for five years and says it can sometimes be emotional, but is ultimately rewarding.

"I see people come in to us in tears and a visit here lifts them up when they are at their lowest ebb," she said.

She says nurses and teachers are among service users.

"We have some clients who have two jobs, but can't financially cope - it's really sad," she added.

Lynda Battarbee, director of operations at Trussell, said: "The persistent hardship that food banks are witnessing on a daily basis is deeply concerning - people are being pushed to the brink because they don't have enough money to live on."

She said many food banks admitted being at breaking point and were having to purchase significant amounts of food just to keep shelves stocked.

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