Donations to UK food banks fall during summer

Some food banks across the UK, especially in the country’s poorest areas, are running critically low on supplies because of a spike in demand during the school holidays.

As more families are seeking help in the summer holidays than in previous years, organisers have warned that donations are falling.

Although national figures are yet to be calculated for the number of food parcels distributed to people in need this summer, many food banks have reported an increase. Last year, the Trussell Trust gave out a record 87,496 parcels to children during the summer holidays – an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year – as part of 239,196 three-day emergency supplies.

The Guardian has reported that, this year, Leeds North and West, which has seven centres across the area, was short on items including long-life milk and juice, pasta sauce and tinned meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.

Foods banks in Preston, Leeds, Watford, Salford, Bradford, Newcastle, Merseyside, Nottingham and north-east Somerset were among those reporting food shortages during the school holidays this year. Many food banks are now using online donations to stock up supplies, including at Waterloo food bank in Lambeth, south London.