The number of poverty-stricken families tearfully seeking help from a Walsall food bank remains high prompting calls for the next Government to finally tackle the issue. Unemployment, redundancy, high rents, benefit cuts and the soaring cost of living crisis are all reasons why thousands seek support from North Walsall Foodbank, which has operated from Pelsall Methodist Church, on Chapel Street, Pelsall, since 2014.
Between April 2023 and March this year, just under 2,400 people were provided with food parcels - almost half of those supported were hungry children. The Trussell Trust, of which North Walsall Foodbank is part of, unveiled an election manifesto of its own calling on whichever party gets in to eradicate the need for foodbanks across the UK.
Part of this calls for an ‘essentials guarantee’ which would give all Universal Credit recipients a protected minimum amount that covers food and bills. Jon Maltman, who manages the North Walsall charity, said demand surged during Covid and this has shown no sign of reducing with people unexpectedly finding themselves needing help.
READ MORE: Walsall hospital's 'place of safety' plan for for people suffering from mental disorder
But he added actual food donations have reduced meaning they are having to increasingly dip into financial reserves to buy what is needed to complete parcels for users. He said: "This is really an untenable long term answer. This can’t carry on, something needs to give and something needs to change.
"That’s the message the Trussell Trust is trying to present in this election. I do want usage to reduce and ultimately to disappear as a solution. We have people coming in who have worked most of their lives or they are just finishing their working lives and can’t afford to retire yet and suddenly everything is swept away from them.
"We’ve had people in here in tears. Self-respecting people who never thought they’d be in this position and it is heartbreaking to deal with. The expression is we are two pay checks away from disaster. Employment itself these days is very insecure.
"The level of children using the food bank - this is what is criminal really, The two child cap is just too horrendous for families and for the child who happens to be the third or fourth one. Volunteers can become emotionally fatigued so what I find useful about Trussell Trust is, online, there is a huge database of support for volunteers and managers. It helps manage every single angle of operation."
Mr Maltman, a retired bank worker, started volunteering as a delivery driver for North Walsall Foodbank during Covid in 2020. He is now one of a team of around 20 dedicated volunteers who collect donations, deliver parcels and serve people dropping into the church when the foodbank is open on Tuesdays and Fridays.
A large number of users come from North Walsall but they also get referrals from other parts of the town and outside of the borough - including areas which have their own dedicated foodbanks due to the sheer level of demand. In addition to food, they also supply other essentials such as nappies and have an arrangement with Vodaphone where sim cards are given to those who need them where they get free calls and texts for six months to help them contact the DWP, NHS etc and keep bills down.
Last year, more than 18.5 tonnes of food was distributed by North Walsall and while more than 19 tonnes was received, this included 2.5 tonnes purchased by the foodbank to ensure there was enough stock to help everyone who needed it. As a result, the charity’s spend on groceries more than doubled from £2,541.36 in 2021/22 to £5,361.46 the following year. In 2020/21, that bill was £212.44.
North Walsall Foodbank receives grants and financial donations, as well as food from people and businesses such as Tesco. But Mr Maltman said the rising grocery bill along with other high costs such as rent He said: "We’re in a position where donations of food are not covering the increase in demand.
"We’re having to think and plan for the future - how long have we got to operate? Either the political situation changes and the level of benefits might go some way to relieving the pressure on people who use the food banks but also we’ve got to up our game in terms of awareness of what we do and appeal to people to support us.”
*Anyone who can support North Walsall Foodbank can contact them on 07582 869895. Food can also be dropped off at the church when the foodbank is open on Tuesdays (11am to 1pm) and Fridays (1pm to 3pm) or taken to collection points at Tesco in Silver Street Brownhills or Asda on George Street in Walsall.
