Across the country, the numbers of people turning to foodbanks is rising all the time (Picture: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

People’s need for foodbanks intensifies hugely around Christmas time. We see more and more people walking through our doors for emergency food parcels, and our staff and volunteers work hard to ensure that we are able to meet the need for food, as well as other support.

The combination of colder weather and children being off for the holidays means more people are forced into the position of having to turn to us.

It heaps extra pressure onto people already struggling to cover the basic cost of living and many are unable to cover heating bills, food and other essentials, let alone the ‘extras’ that normally make this such a special time of year.



This year, we’ve organised a Christmas party with a full Christmas dinner and Father Christmas for the children, as well as a Christmas meal for adults, and we’re trying to ensure there’s a present for anyone that comes through our doors.


The one thing that is so incredible about this time of year is how the community pulls together.

Just today a lovely woman, who has experienced poverty herself, dropped off two sacks of presents for children – it brought a lump to my throat – especially when she said we were the heroes.

And yet, without the kindness of strangers, we couldn’t continue to operate.

Across the country, the numbers of people turning to us is rising all the time. Here in Hammersmith and Fulham we’ve seen a massive increase over the last couple of years since the introduction of Universal Credit in 2016.

Our area was one of the first to have Universal Credit rolled out, and we’ve hardly stopped since then.

The minimum five-week wait for a first payment experienced by those moving onto the new benefits system has left many without enough money to put food on the table.

To make matters worse, when people do receive their payments, many find that their benefit payment simply doesn’t cover essential living costs after rent is paid.

Everyone who comes to a Trussell Trust foodbank is referred by a frontline professional, such as a school or Citizens Advice worker, who assesses whether someone is in genuine need. The biggest reason for referral to our network is issues with a benefit payment.

Christmas is supposed to be a time for joy, but what we’re seeing is the festive period becoming increasingly stressful for more and more people, and that just isn’t right.

We know it doesn’t have to be like this.

We’re a country that prides itself on making sure proper support is in place for each of us whenever help is needed, whether that’s through our health service or benefits system.

Illness, disability, family breakdown or the loss of a job could happen to any of us, and we owe it to each other to make sure sufficient support is in place at times when it’s unavoidably needed.



In the short term, we’re urging the public to donate generously, as early as possible in December as this is when we get the busiest. The earlier the public donate, the less pressure is put on our volunteers.

We’re also asking people to donate into the new year too, as unfortunately the need for foodbanks is not going away and is likely even, to increase as the uncertainties around Brexit also start to impact people more likely to need our help.

Ultimately, it’s unacceptable that anyone should have to use a foodbank in the first place.

We do not want to be here in the long-term, continuing to pick up the pieces.

That’s why The Trussell Trust is urging the Government to ensure benefits payments reflect the true cost of living, and asking them to reduce the waiting time for Universal Credit to help ensure no-one is trapped by poverty.

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