S2 Food bank Sheffield: “Food banks have become an accepted part of society”

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
A Sheffield charity says food banks have become an “accepted part of society” and many families are in debt because of the pressure to buy Christmas presents.

John Hull, chair of trustees for S2 Food bank, said: “When the food bank opened about 10 years ago people thought it would fill a temporary need.

“What’s so sad now is that food banks are part of our high streets. There are 18 across Sheffield and it’s become an accepted part of the way we live. It really ought not to be.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sue Rose and John Hull, of the S2 food bankSue Rose and John Hull, of the S2 food bank
Sue Rose and John Hull, of the S2 food bank | NW

Of these referrals, 143 people were in debt, 114 with money issues, 15 homeless, 15 recently unemployed and 17 facing delay in benefits.

This comes as new figures show tens of thousands of emergency food parcels were handed out in Sheffield in recent months.

Food bank network Trussell said the number of people still facing hunger and hardship across the UK remains ‘heartbreaking’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
There are 18 food banks across SheffieldThere are 18 food banks across Sheffield
There are 18 food banks across Sheffield

The charity handed out 36,300 emergency food parcels from 15 food banks in Sheffield between April and September.

It was down from 44,100 parcels during the same period in 2023 but a significant increase from 7,300 five years ago.

Many people who access food banks are in active debt.

S2 Food bank is working with 51 clients with a collective debt of £377,018 using the Community Money Advice systems.

Mr Hull said: “These are people who need help. They are tempted in moments of crisis by buy-now-pay-later plans to afford things like Christmas presents for their kids. It’s so tempting to borrow when you’ve got no money but a pressing need and then it’s so hard to pay off the debt.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Hull continued: “We pride ourselves on building relationships with our clients in the four weeks when people access the food bank. We have conversations about what will be in their packages and any food preferences they have.

“People are very nervous when they first arrive because they are worried what people will think ofthem. To be greeted by somebody is kind makes all the difference.

“What’s sad is that if you look at the reasons for people needing help, they tend to be to do with people not being on the right benefits. There are plenty of people who are entitled to more than they are currently getting. There’s also the fact that often people are assessed as being fit to work despite them being disabled.

“One of the extras we provide to families is a Christmas meal including a dessert. We also try to buy each child a present. Father Christmas is very good and he comes to help us with this!

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We think everybody is entitled to a decent Christmas despite food poverty.”

Chief executive of Trussell, Emma Revie, said: “Our food banks are a lifeline, offering a warm welcome and space to be heard. They need everyone to play their part to move us towards ending the need for emergency food in the UK.”

A government spokesperson said: “The mass dependence on food banks is unacceptable – that’s why we’ve extended the Household Support Fund again to help struggling families with the cost of essentials.

“Alongside this, we are increasing the National Living Wage, uprating benefits and helping over one million households by introducing a fair repayment rate on Universal Credit deductions, while our Child Poverty Taskforce develops an ambitious strategy to give all children the best start in life.”

To support S2 Food bank visit https://www.s2foodbank.org.uk/donate

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1887
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice