I spent the day at a St Helens food bank to see what it's like for those struggling

The town centre food bank, located at the Hope Centre on Atherton Street, is one of five Trussell Trust hubs dotted around St Helens.

As energy, food and fuel prices continue to soar, there has been an increase in demand in each of the borough’s hubs, but as team leader Janice Macleod tells me, it’s “never been as bad as this”.

Sarah McDonagh and Janice Macleod

The five hubs cater for an average of 700 people every month in St Helens, but a rising number of first-time users has left the volunteers struggling to balance this with a depleted number of food donations.

Inevitably, the cost of living crisis has had a real impact on food banks and between November 2021 and March 2022, the team recorded a 25 per cent increase in demand compared with the same period 12 months previously.

As food donations have decreased 26 per cent during this same period, the volunteers have had to ration the food vouchers to ensure they have enough food to go around.

Intended to be a “short term answer” to a complicated problem, these food vouchers consist of long-lasting foods like soup, pasta and tinned goods, as well as any additional donations such as bread, butter, tea or coffee.

The cupboards inside St Helens FoodBank used to be "jam packed"

There has been a significant decrease in food donations during the cost of living crisis

One customer I spoke to, who didn’t want to be named, said that she would not be able to feed her four children if it wasn’t for the food bank.

After the removal of the £20 weekly uptick in Universal Credit and her benefits being moved to a monthly, rather than fortnightly payment, the 25-year-old said she is “constantly running out of money by the end of the month”.

With rising energy prices compounding problems with rent arrears, the food bank is the last port of call that helps to keep her young family going.

Viv Richards, picking up food for St Helens Care Leavers

Viv Richards, who was picking up food vouchers for young people who have recently left care settings, had similar thoughts on the necessity of organisations like St Helens Foodbank.

Working for St Helens Care Leavers for around three years, Viv said that there has “definitely” been an increase in the usage of food banks from young people.

Viv said: “With young people just coming out of care, it can be a difficult time for them to budget but with everything increasing, it’s blown them out of the water.

“I think young people would really struggle without something like this. It’s a very necessary service and I hope it can continue.”

Dennis Roughley with fellow volunteers Trish and Anne

Speaking to Dennis Roughley, a volunteer at the food bank for 10 years, he explained that the number of people needing to use the food bank has progressively increased since he joined the team a decade ago.

Telling me “heart-breaking” stories of people who have had to use their services over the years, there was a sense of despair at the current situation and how the food bank “can’t help everybody".

Dennis said: “At the minute, everyone wants food but there’s not enough of it to go around.

“We are like a family here and we want to help everyone that we can, but there is only so much we can do if people can’t afford to donate.

“I feel really sorry for the people who are desperate and can’t afford food until their benefits come in […] and I really thought our country would have done something about it.”

Each item is split into food categories ready for each voucher

Acknowledging the difficulties the cost of living crisis is having on people across the country, the Prime Minister admitted earlier this month that the Government “can do more” to help struggling families with rising bills.

However, he warned that a new support package and increased public spending risks pushing up inflation and interest rates even further.

The volunteers were concerned at having to ration the food vouchers after a reduction in donations

Aware that there is “no simple solution” to the crisis, Sarah McDonagh, Development & Quality Manager at the Hope Centre, said that Trussell Trust is lobbying the government for extra support for those struggling, using data from their network of food banks across the country.

Despite the financial difficulties facing people in St Helens, Sarah stressed that it is their generosity which has enabled the food bank to continue its vital services in the community.

Sarah said: “Nothing we do is in isolation; we all work together as a team and use the donations we receive to give back to the community.

“St Helens may not be the richest town, but it definitely has the biggest heart.”

St Helens Foodbank operates at The Hope Centre on Atherton Street, at Parr Mount in Fingerpost, at St John's Church in Earlestown, Newton Community Centre in Newton-le-Willows and St Helens Baptist Church on Hall Street (which is temporarily closed).

Donation and collection points are also located in supermarkets across the borough.

St Helens FoodBank, located at the Hope Centre on Atherton Street