Demand quadruples for Haywards Heath’s foodbank

Demand has spiralled for Haywards Heath Foodbank, and it is now looking at how it can continue to serve the community after the current crisis.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

When lockdown struck the team was forced to temporarily close the service due to health, safety and regulatory reasons.

But it was back running a delivery only service just two weeks later, and has seen the numbers of families in need soar.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman for the foodbank said that at the end of March demand spiralled to six times the normal level – they helped 75 families totalling 274 people in one week.

Demand has spiralled for Haywards Heath FoodbankDemand has spiralled for Haywards Heath Foodbank
Demand has spiralled for Haywards Heath Foodbank

Once the service reopened in April, the need to help those who were unable to buy food soared.

From April 8, until the end of the month they helped 124 families totalling 459 people – almost four times the number in April 2019.

The proportion of children among those in need has also risen, according to the foodbank, with youngsters now making up 58 per cent of those who are helped – compared to the previous figure of 45 per cent.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman for the team said: “Deliveries of basic food supplies are initially on Wednesdays and Fridays to families which are in crisis, unable to afford food, and have been referred to us via the CAB, family centres, schools, GP surgeries, wellbeing groups and many others in our agency network, using a new system of electronic vouchers.

“The incredible generosity of the community in Haywards Heath and nearby villages remains undiminished and in April food donations totalled 3,600kgs compared with under 1,000kgs in April 2019; in that time HHFB delivered over 3,000kgs food to clients, three times the previous year.

“We want to make this new ‘delivery’ model sustainable and welcome the support of Haywards Heath Town Council and MSDC which is underwriting much of our additional costs resulting from this changed operation, plus providing access to transport for deliveries to clients.

“The trustees and all volunteers of Haywards Heath Foodbank want to express their enormous gratitude for all the help and positive support of the community.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We look forward to an end to the coronavirus crisis, and in the longer term we look forward in particular to an end to poverty.

“In the meantime we will continue to do all we can to ensure that there will be food on the table for the many in our community in crisis or need.”

The impact of the current crisis on the foodbank is likely to have long-term implications, according to the spokesman.

“The foodbank will need to look for larger premises when conditions allow it to move from its current temporary building – it will need to house both storage and distribution functions under one roof and ideally be 1,000sqft+, on ground floor, easy transport access, central Haywards Heath location.”

Anyone who can help the cause is asked to contact [email protected] or call 07884 106719