Cost of living crisis in Derry: ‘People are desperate’

The charity says the number of people in need of its help has further spiked in recent weeks as a result of soaring household costs due to the energy bill crisis.

James McMenamin, manager of Foyle Foodbank, says that, for many people - and not only those on benefits - it’s a stark choice of “eat or heat”.

Foyle Foodbank recently reported a 310% increase in demand for food in the five years since it first launched.

The service supplied food to a total of 15,580 people during 2021. In 2016, the year the service first launched, it supplied a total of 3,800 people.

James McMenamin says the shocking reality of running out of food - and not having cash to buy any more - can happen to anyone.

“A lot of the people we encounter are living from pay cheque to pay cheque,” he says.

“Many people are struggling to survive as things are but, with energy prices set to go up again, we are, unfortunately, bracing ourselves for the situation to get worse.”

Consumers here are facing the worst cost of living crisis in decades as they continue to be pummelled with price rises across the board.

Goods and services are becoming increasingly more difficult to afford as wages fail to track inflation - currently at 5.4%, its highest level in almost 30 years.

In the aftermath of Brexit and the Covid pandemic, fresh food prices are surging at their fastest rate in almost a decade.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s oil prices have shot up more than 35% in the week after Russia invaded Ukraine.

James McMenamin says this combination of price hikes has left many people in a “desperate” situation.

“People are struggling out there and, as a result, they are having to make really difficult choices. Some of the situations we come across are very distressing. However, one glimmer of light is that local people remain very generous and continue to donate to us,” said the foodbank boss.