Number of Sheffield charity food banks doubles in one year Published duration 9 May 2012

The number of charity food banks in Sheffield has doubled over the past year.

In 2010 the city had three centres. There are currently six in operation, with more planning to open.

They give emergency food supplies to people who are struggling to provide for themselves.

Chris Marriott, team leader of the newly opened Jubilee Food Bank, said the increase was due to the "tough economic situation."

The Jubilee Food bank is run by the City Church in the Shirecliffe area of the city.

Mr Marriott said the charity was providing boxes of food to about 100 people every week. Each box contains three days' worth of tinned food donated by the local community.

He said that the main reason people turned to the food banks for help was after having problems with social security payments.

"There's a much larger number of people on benefits," said Mr Marriott.

"The minute a crisis occurs those people don't have the back-up or the savings to go to and say 'Well, I need to dip into those for a while'.

"So, some people then have to choose between feeding themselves or the kids, and that's quite a tough decision to make."