Food banks give out 114,100 parcels in six months

The number of food parcels distributed across the south-west of England since 2019 has increased by 62% in five years, a charity says.

The Trussell Trust added that its community of food banks in the region - including Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire - distributed just over 114,100 emergency food parcels between April and September in 2024.

Data showed this included 15,763 parcels distributed in Cornwall and 6,484 in Plymouth.

The charity said 63% of food parcels distributed in the UK were to delivered to households with children of all ages up to 16.

Trussell chief executive Emma Revie said: "The sheer numbers of people in the South West still facing hunger and hardship is heartbreaking.

"This cannot go on and we refuse to stand by while so many of us are pushed to the brink, left without enough money to live on."

The trust added the total number of parcels provided across the UK was 67,000 fewer when compared to the same period last year, representing a 4% decrease.

However, it said the need for emergency food was still high, and the number of parcels provided across the UK was 69% greater than the same period in 2019.

Trussell said it was working with communities, food banks and charities including the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to call on the UK government to take urgent action.

Ms Revie said: "There have been promising steps, but we need a clearer plan with more decisive action to invest in our social security system if we are to end hunger once and for all."

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."

Zoe Nixon, foodbank manager at Newquay Foodbank, said unlike the rest of the country that experienced a 4% decrease in emergency food parcel deliveries, Newquay had a 10% increase.

She added more worryingly this equated to a 29.8% increase in the number of children involved in the households that recieve support from the Newquay Foodbank.

"Food banks are doing more and more apart from food," she said.

Ms Nixon added this included financial inclusion work and signposting.

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