3,250 adults and children have received three days’ emergency food and support from Wandsworth Foodbank in the last 12 months, a 32 percent rise in volume of people fed compared to the previous financial year.

The latest figures published by the Trussell Trust nationally show that over 1,000,000 people have received at least three days’ emergency food from the charity’s foodbanks in the last twelve months, more than in any previous year. The data indicates that despite signs of economic recovery, the numbers of people turning to foodbanks continues to grow.

1,084,604 people - including 396,997 children – received three days’ food from the Trussell Trust’s network of over 400 foodbanks in 2014/15, compared with 913,138 in the 2013/14 financial year. This is an increase of 19 percent.

At the Wandsworth foodbank, the top three reasons for foodbank referral were:

• benefit delay 24%
• low income 21%
• benefit change 17%

This reflects the top three primary referral causes at Trussell Trust foodbanks nationally, which were benefit delays, low income and benefit changes.
 

Last year local people donated 26 tonnes of food to Wandsworth foodbank, and over 350 volunteered. Local schools, businesses and faith groups have provided vital support to the foodbank, enabling them to give three days’ nutritionally balanced food and support to people in crisis.

You can read a more in-depth version of the report, including a detailed breakdown of the figures here.