MORE families are expected to be supported by a Whitchurch foodbank as people struggle with the cost-of-living, according to its chairman.
Alun Scutt is the chairman of the Whitchurch Foodbank in Church Street and it has been providing lunches to even more families, who receive school meals in term-time, than last year.
Government money will provide three weeks of vouchers for families who have free school meals, but there are also three weeks where there is no similar support.
Alan said the foodbank supported even more families over school holidays than last year and expects more and more are going to struggle, especially in winter.
He added: "It is higher, we've seen an increase.
"We do a similar thing at Christmas, we contact schools and we ask if there are families who are struggling, who find they can normally manage but when it comes to Christmas, it is that bridge too far.
"Last Christmas, we fed 137 families and we delivered parcels direct to peoples' homes.
"And that is compared to the previous year of about 80 families.
"In the summer, last year it was about 35 families, so it has gone from 35 to 47.
"We all expect there are going to be more and more families who are going to struggle as the cost of things start to rise, let alone as we get into the heating season.
"It is the reality of where we are."
Alan said the foodbank worked closely with schools to provide the meals.
He added: We wrote to the schools in our area and we said to them we will provide for any families which you identify to us so that we will give them three weeks of food which will enable you to feed your children at lunch time as a supplement in replacement for the loss of the free school meals.
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"What we had back from that was 47 families and 101 children and today is when the families are arriving to collect their food to take away.
"And most of them have now been but we've got some to turn up and that is the support the foodbank has been prepared to offer.
"It is something we have been happy and pleased to try and help with."
Alan explained the foodbank has received generous support from people in Whitchurch.
He said: "The people in Whitchurch are amazing, we have had nothing but tremendous support.
"We have regular bins in Sainsbury, Tesco and Aldi, the people there are so generous.
"Even when we are told people are finding life tight we are getting tremendous donations there."
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