Peterborough: Demand for food charities rises as holidays start

Food donation charities have said they will do "all they can" to help families after seeing a rise in demand at the start of the school holidays.

The Millfield Community Fridge in Peterborough said it had seen up to 260 people needing food within two hours.

Family Voice Peterborough (FVP), which helps families of children with additional needs, said some were "desperate" for food.

The city council said it was "committed" to helping those in need.

Reverend Giles Knight from Open Door Baptist Church, which has run the Millfield Community Fridge for five years, said: "There are some people who are very desperate and are struggling to survive."

He said now it was the school holidays they were seeing a "lot of families as well as single people" and some people would walk up to an hour "just to receive some food".

FVP chief operating officer Louise Ravenscroft said it was hard seeing families struggle.

"The one thing you want to do most is to keep your children safe, happy, healthy and fed and if you can't even do that, it makes it so much more difficult for you to even get through a day.

"That's one of the worst things to have to hear about from families," she said.

Dennis Grady, who is on disability allowance, has just started to use the Millfield Community Fridge because he has been struggling to pay his bills and said he would sometimes skip meals.

"Sometimes I just think 'I'll just have to manage until Monday' and it's a Friday," he said.

He said it was "helpful" being able to use the food bank.

Mum Kerry, who volunteers at FVP after asking for help for herself and her son, said: "Even the cheapest food is going up a lot so coming here is really helpful.

"I'm helping by giving other people the courage to come and to talk, and to collect food as well."

Peterborough City Council said it was "committed to helping people in our communities who are struggling with the rising costs of living and offer several support initiatives".

It has a Household Support Fund which provides vouchers for residents struggling financially and a holiday voucher scheme aimed at families with school-age children.

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