Donations to food bank match a rise in demand
ISLANDERS have been donating more items to Guernsey’s food bank as demand for it swells.
The Guernsey Welfare Service manages the service, which ensures those most in need can have essential foods.
Food prices have been rising sharply this year, and GWS welfare officer Susi Glegg said the charity was seeing a sharp increase in people needing help.
Most of the people they help are families.
‘Times are getting harder and there are plenty who can’t generate that extra money needed,’ said Mrs Glegg.
To combat this, the charity has been busy preparing this year’s food bank donations for Christmas. It said its team of volunteers were a third busier in November 2022 than in 2021.
Though many islanders are facing cutbacks, donations this year have kept rising.
‘We’ve had an opposite reaction to the crisis, people recognise it’s a tough time for others and have been giving more,’ said Mrs Glegg.
‘It’s a mark of our society.’
Christmas always sees the biggest number of people using the food bank, and this year more than 450 households are expected to be helped by the service.
GWS has also added extra Christmas gifts such as advent calendars, selection boxes and food vouchers on top of the usual essentials provided.
Alongside the food bank, GWS provides services such as the Parent Empowerment Programme, to help families with young children and Guernsey Linking Lives which provides companionship for the elderly.
‘The modern-day disease is that of loneliness and disconnectivity,’ said Mrs Glegg.
A new project the charity has started working on alongside Guernsey Waste is to recycle thrown out furniture such as beds and cabinets to provide them to those in need.
The partnership has proved successful and the next step is to look for a bigger storage area.
Future plans include tackling Guernsey’s increasing homelessness problem and raising funds to keep the services running.
The food bank opened for Christmas distribution at the start of December and will stay open through to Friday.
A list of desired items has been created for islanders wishing to donate, including gravy granules, stuffing mix, pickles and sauces, snacks like Pringles and Twiglets, selection boxes, coffee, sugar and laundry tablets. Donations of Marmite and honey are also welcome.
