The high cost of living is increasing the needs for foodbanks across Edinburgh
Holy Trinity Church of Scotland runs its own foodbank in that deprived part of the city. The demand on the foodbank is 70% up on what it was a year ago and the church is struggling to meet the increased need. They are appealing for help from the wider church.
The national economic situation is the underlying cause of the pressure on the food bank. Food inflation has reached 19.2%, this being the fastest increase in food prices for 25 years, according to Office for National Statistics.
The numbers attending the food bank show the increased need for its services. In the last week of January of 2023, the number of households helped in one week exceeded 100 for the first time ever, with a 70% increase in those needing crisis support, compared with 2022.
Against this background of tightening belts and squeezed budgets, effectively stewarding the Foodbank has been a major focus in 2023 including reviewing the foods available for distribution to stretch money as far as possible but still give balanced nutrition.
Some statistics help to give a feel for the outreach’s success in so far meeting the needs over the past few weeks. 18,630 meals were handed out between January and April of this year, and around 1,800 individuals fed. Almost half of these are single households, showing it’s not just families with children that need the help.
Going forward, the foodbank wishes to introduce a Hot Meals service to see people through the cold winter months from October to March.
So with all this going on, Holy Trinity foodbank is appealing for people to raise its profile of the Bank through spreading the word of its existence through friends and contacts and social media. Also it is appealing for funds and for fund raising. Fiona Watson, the Foodbank and Café Team Lead, is available to give a talk to any groups who are interested.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Fiona and her team also want to give thanks;
The national economic situation is the underlying cause of the pressure on the food bank. Food inflation has reached 19.2%, this being the fastest increase in food prices for 25 years, according to Office for National Statistics.
The numbers attending the food bank show the increased need for its services. In the last week of January of 2023, the number of households helped in one week exceeded 100 for the first time ever, with a 70% increase in those needing crisis support, compared with 2022.
Against this background of tightening belts and squeezed budgets, effectively stewarding the Foodbank has been a major focus in 2023 including reviewing the foods available for distribution to stretch money as far as possible but still give balanced nutrition.
Some statistics help to give a feel for the outreach’s success in so far meeting the needs over the past few weeks. 18,630 meals were handed out between January and April of this year, and around 1,800 individuals fed. Almost half of these are single households, showing it’s not just families with children that need the help.
Going forward, the foodbank wishes to introduce a Hot Meals service to see people through the cold winter months from October to March.
So with all this going on, Holy Trinity foodbank is appealing for people to raise its profile of the Bank through spreading the word of its existence through friends and contacts and social media. Also it is appealing for funds and for fund raising. Fiona Watson, the Foodbank and Café Team Lead, is available to give a talk to any groups who are interested.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Fiona and her team also want to give thanks;
to God, and to our wonderful supporters – those who pray, those who support by volunteering and making the foodbank happen, those who give money so food can be bought, those who give donations of food that can be included in the provisions - and especially at this time those schools and churches that donated Easter eggs, so that every person in every household that attended in the week prior to Easter received an Easter egg…thankyou”
More information about the Holy Trinity Wester Hailes Foodbank can be found at; www.holytrinitywesterhailes.org.uk/wester-hailes-foodbank/
