Scurrying around the aisles like a contestant in the 1990s TV game show Supermarket Sweep, I don’t know which way to turn among the mountains of groceries. Then, from among a sea of jams, marmalades and peanut butter I spot a single jar of Marmite – and place it into my trolley.
Scanning down my 20-item shopping list, I have already ticked off biscuits, cereal, baked beans, tinned fish, pasta, tinned fruit and coffee. Yet this is no ordinary shopping trip – and certainly no game. This is a day in the life of a food bank volunteer in the Hertfordshire town of Bishop’s Stortford, sorting through all the generous donations to provide food for struggling families in time for Christmas.
In the past, those in need would visit food banks in person. But Covid-19 restrictions mean goods must now be selected and delivered by volunteers.
Extra pounds: Some supermarkets add cash payments to donations based on weight, so they pay more for a tin of beans than dried noodles
This is placing even more pressure on food banks nationwide, which are facing their busiest Christmas ever – with an estimated 840,000 free grocery packages expected to be handed out.
Demand is soaring, fuelled by rising unemployment in the wake of the pandemic, with at least 1.9million people having used a food bank this year.
The Bishop’s Stortford food bank is no exception. It has seen the rise in requests more than double on this time last year. Bill Macdonald is its chairman and watches a team of four volunteers put me to shame, as we empty our trolleys into cardboard boxes and bags to be sent to 40 families, feeding nearly 200 people who might otherwise go hungry at Christmas.
Bill, a 64-year-old retired teacher, says: ‘This is a prosperous area, but it does not stop people falling through the cracks during difficult times. Lose your job and a couple of months of missed mortgage payments means you could be in serious trouble. There used to be a stigma but not now. This crisis has shown we are all in this together. It could have been you or me needing help. It is the luck of the draw.’
Food banks provide vital short-term help to people trying to get back on their feet, some surviving on monthly universal credit of just £409.89, or less for under-25s.
Bill says: ‘We have come a long way from the image of Oliver Twist asking for more. Most people who use our service have never requested anything for free before. They feel uncomfortable about asking for help.’
Food banks were unheard of a decade ago, but there are now more than 2,000 nationwide handing out in excess of two million packages a year. This year an estimated half of those seeking help have never sought support before. Volunteer Carol Elson loves her work. She says: ‘The warmth and sense of gratitude you share is humbling.’
The 66-year-old retired teacher adds: ‘Delivering food is the most wonderful part of the job. At this time of the year it is not just the essentials. We try to include a few luxuries – a Christmas bag to share with children, perhaps a chocolate selection, Christmas crackers and a yuletide card. It is showing we care. People have burst into tears on their doorstep when we have turned up.’
Dozens of items are dropped off daily at the Methodist Church hall in the centre of Bishop’s Stortford, where the food bank is based. Donations are made quietly, without any wish for thanks.
It is a charity, established by local churches and the Bishop’s Stortford Rotary club, and is one of 800 independent food banks that can be found by contacting trade group Independent Food Aid Network UK.
A further 1,200 are run under the umbrella of the Trussell Trust charity. Many of these are also run by churches, the Salvation Army and local groups.
Food banks rely on support from firms, donors and volunteers. Items especially welcome include boxed cereal, soup, pasta, rice, sauces and lentils. Tinned meat, vegetables, fruit, tea, coffee and biscuits are in demand, as well as toiletries such as detergent and sanitary towels.
Supermarkets do not donate out-of-date food but lend their support by encouraging customers to donate items in-store.
Tesco and Asda add a 20 per cent cash payment, calculating this on a donation’s weight, rather than price, saying a kilo of goods costs £1.75. Therefore, it is best to donate heavy items at these stores such as tins of baked beans or rice rather than dry noodles.
Tesco has more than 3,500 stores nationwide but only one in eight has a permanent food collection point – others may offer a temporary one over Christmas. Asda has more than 400 dedicated food collection points.
While other supermarkets take food donations, they do not all top them up with extra cash. Sainsbury’s has food collection points at more than 1,400 stores while Waitrose donates more than 470 tons of food a year to the Trussell Trust from 340 stores.
Both Lidl and Aldi give food via their own schemes.
There is nothing to stop you dropping off items at a local food bank. The Trussell Trust website has a ‘find a food bank’ search facility. Other local food banks, such as the one in Bishop’s Stortford, use social media to list details of items they really need.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, says: ‘This year has been extraordinarily difficult due to the pandemic, with young families hardest hit.’
Finishing my day as a volunteer, I reflect how lucky I am to have a job that keeps the wolf from the door. And I feel humbled by the kindness of others.
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