Cost of living: Sheffield S6 Foodbank's record figures supporting over 50,000 people with 1,152,000 meals in past year

Chris Hardy in the warehouse at S6 foodbank in Hillsborough

The food bank has revealed its referral figures for the period from April 2021 to March 2022.During this time it supported over 50,000 people for the first time in its history, 50,828 to be exact, of which 19,837 were children.

These figures equate to 1,152,000 meals, or 484 tonnes of food distributed by the charity.

They represent a 28 per cent increase in the number of people accessing support compared to the previous 12-month figure.

Ian Franklin and Helen Reynolds picking items for distribution to local families at the S6 Foodbank

The food bank says it believes the increase in people needing support is due to people’s finances being hit by the increasing cost of living; the impact of £20 a week being cut from Universal Credit payments during the last year; social security payments not covering the cost of essentials; and a prevalence of insecure or low-paid work.

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Sheffield S6 Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network, which has experienced its busiest winter outside of the height of the pandemic in 2020.

Food banks in the Trussell Trust network provided more than 2.1 million parcels to people on the lowest incomes across the UK from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Bradley Cooke and Mick Hanley who collect and distribute food

This is a 14 per cent increase on pre-pandemic figures in 2019-20 as more and more people across the country are unable to afford the essentials.

Sheffield S6 Foodbank says its team will always do all they can to help people in the community – but that they cannot, and should not, be needing to distribute emergency food parcels on this scale.

Chris Hardy, Sheffield S6 Foodbank manager, said: “The support we see across the community for people on the lowest incomes is incredible.

“But it shouldn’t be needed. We should all be free from hunger.

“No one should be pushed deeper into poverty without enough money for the things we all need.

“It’s not right that anyone in Sheffield needs our food bank in the first place – everyone should be able to afford the essentials.

“At the moment the situation is only set to get worse, as this is just the start of the cost of living crisis. But we know what’s pushing people to need food banks like ours, so we know what needs to be done.

“People cannot afford to wait any longer for support – UK, national and local governments at all levels must use their powers and take urgent action now to strengthen our social security system so it keeps up with the true cost of living.”

Cash donations to support Sheffield S6 Foodbank can be made via the dedicated fundraising page at justgiving.com/campaign/nobodygoeswithout. People can stay up to date by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, at @s6foodbank, searching the hashtag #NobodyGoesWithout, or via https://sheffields6.foodbank.org.uk/.

S6 Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks operating across the UK. Their main warehouse is on Cross Bedford St, S6 3BS, with satellites across the city.