Derry Foodbank helps a staggering 15,000 as cost of living bites hard

The shocking figure is indicative of the growing numbers of people locally who are facing difficult choices and poverty in a city where the population is around 100,000.

It is expected that even yet more people will have been forced to seek help this year from the foodbank and other organisations as home heating costs, food bills and services prices continue to soar.

the Foodbank recently held it’s annual general meeting in Leafair Wellbeing Centre with guest speaker Laura Ferguson, Head of Trussell Trust Pathfinder Programme.

Staff presented their annual report for 2021, which showed that 15,606 people received support from the foodbank during that period.

Chairperson Denis McGowan told those gathered: “We are pleased to have had a large attendance from a wide range of organisations at our Annual General Meeting, it shows the commitment to work together to support those most in need in our community.

“We wanted to update people on the developments at Foyle Foodbank in partnership with The Trussell Trust and we were delighted that Laura Ferguson, from Trussell was able to attend and outline the vision and strategy to bring about the end to the need for foodbanks.”

Karen Mullan, Strategic Development Officer, outlined changes at Foyle Foodbank, which include wrap around support and addressing the underlying crisis that has brought that person to the foodbank.

She went onto say: “We are very concerned of how people are going to manage and we will continue to work closely with all of those partner organisations to reach out to those struggling and in poverty.

“We want people to know there is help available and that anyone can be swept into poverty and our services are confidential in a supported environment.”

Anyone looking for more information or support please contact the Foodbank via their email address foylefoodbank@gmail.com, Tel no 71263699 or website foyle.foodbank.org.uk/

The Trussell Trust supports communities and churches to open foodbanks across the UK. It currently has a network of 428 foodbanks, working to tackle food poverty and hunger.

In 2021/22, The Trussell Trust’s Foodbank Network provided 2,173,158 three-day emergency food supplies and support to UK people in crisis. Of these, 832,109 went to children.