Star date: 21st September 2016

CONCERNS THAT SALFORD FOODBANK RUNNING LOW ON SUPPLIES

Salford Central Foodbank, which has centres at Mocha Parade and at the Sanctuary near Dallas Court, is running out of supplies as demand for food parcels for the city's poor outstrips supply.

The Salford Foodbank is not getting as much food in as it's giving out due to massive demand over the past few weeks and manager, Mark Whittington, is urging Salford people to help out, adding "Our shelves have never looked emptier"...

Full details here...

Thanks to obscenely low wages, benefit sanctions and everything else that goes on under the current Tory Government, the demand for food parcels is increasing to the point where Salford Central Foodbank is actually running out of supplies.

Today, the Salford Star visited the Foodbank at Mocha Parade and saw half empty shelves where supplies of rice, cereals and tinned vegetables were barely enough to feed a few dozen people, despite an astronomical increase in demand.

"Our shelves have never looked emptier" said Salford Central Foodbank manager, Mark Whittington "At the beginning of the summer the food supply we were getting in was plentiful to feed the people we were helping  but what we've seen over the last few months is a notable increase in the amount of people we are helping.

"We're definitely seeing an increase in people affected by benefit sanctions, benefit delays and also issues around tax credits, and we're seeing more working families coming in here as well. The last few weeks, in particular, have seen very busy sessions and we're concerned that we're not getting as much food in as we're giving out at the moment."

Salford Central Foodbank – part of the Trussell Trust network - has two centres at the moment, at Mocha Parade in Lower Broughton and the Sanctuary by Dallas Court off South Langworthy Road. A third one is even being discussed to meet mushrooming demand. Last year, just from these foodbanks alone, 3,269 three day emergency food parcels were given out to Salford's poor, with 1,410 parcels given to children.

To get vouchers for the parcels, people have to be referred by one of the 85 different agencies that have links with the Foodbank, ranging from Salford Social Services to Citizen's Advice Bureau to housing associations.

Now an appeal is going out to Salford people and businesses to help replenish supplies. There is a shopping list of items needed on the Foodbank's website (click here), which includes items like rice, cereal, instant coffee, tinned potatoes and more. Donations can be made either at Tesco on Salford Precinct, Sainsburys on Regent Road, or by dropping direct at Mocha Parade (contact them first to make sure someone is there*)

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, drew attention to the plight of Salford Central Foodbank at this morning's full meeting of Salford City Council...

"Poverty, which we once thought was relegated to a distant past is cropping up again in Salford" he said "Malnutrition, hunger, fuel poverty, homelessness... Only yesterday I was contacted by Salford Central Foodbank saying the stocks were the lowest they've ever had and that within two weeks they will not be able to issue food to people in desperate need."

*To donate to Salford Central Foodbank either put items in the baskets at Sainsbury's and Tesco, or drop off direct to Mocha Parade – although it's best to phone or email beforehand to check there will be someone there...

0161 637 4500
Email: info@salfordcentral.foodbank.org.uk

For more details see the Salford Central Foodbank website – click here