Barnsley Foodbank Partnership is calling on the local community to donate much-needed items to support people facing hardship.

For the last ten years, Barnsley Foodbank Partnership has provided vital support in the form of emergency food parcels and continues to see an increase in the number of people being referred to them from frontline agencies such as Citizens’ Advice, health visitors or children’s centres. Between January 2022 and January 2023, the food bank gave out food parcels to 10,917 individuals.

In recent months, the need for emergency food parcels is outstripping the number of donations the foodbank is receiving. They are now appealing to the people of Barnsley to urgently donate much needed items to ensure they can continue to offer this crucial support.

Their most needed items at the moment include rice pudding, tinned fruit, tinned or instant potatoes, gravy granules, juice and long-life milk.

A typical emergency food parcel, which is designed to last a household for three days, might also include staple items such as cereal, tinned vegetables, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, biscuits, pasta and rice.

A Barnsley resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, spoke about how they were reliant on Barnsley Foodbank Partnership when they were in a complete crisis.

Shelby* is a single parent who struggles to pay the ever-rising bill costs she faces. The pandemic may have brought some extra booster payments, but they have now stopped and the cost of living crisis means she is struggling to make ends meet. She said it was a ‘Godsend’ receiving a food parcel, giving her and the children something to keep them going until she could manage her finances better. Shelby says she appreciated the chat she had when picking up her food parcel, complimenting volunteer Carol on her friendly approach, kindness, respect and encouragement.

Another Barnsley resident, who recently provided the food bank with a large donation at their monthly food drive, said:“It was only last year that I found myself needing access to a food bank as I was experiencing crisis. I’ve managed to come through the other side now and give something back.”

If anyone would like to support the food bank, or would like to find out more information about what they do, please visit www.barnsley.foodbank.org.uk

*Name changed to protect anonymity.