Devon foodbank 'busier than ever' for Easter break

Foodbank manager Mark Haydon said school holidays were "always a busy time"

A Devon foodbank has been busier than ever in the run-up to Easter.

A spokesperson for Plymouth Foodbank said the lack of free school meals over the holiday period has meant that demand for its services has grown and includes many working parents.

They said that volunteers have added Easter eggs to food parcels during the "difficult" period.

Foodbank manager Mark Haydon said school holidays were "always a busy time".

Mr Haydon said the number of users is up on this time last year and "even parents who are in work" were visiting the service looking for help.

"More and more we are seeing families in employment - whether it's single parents or couples - and their money is not getting them to the end of the month," he said.

'Really difficult'

"The whole shape of who we are dealing with and what we are dealing with has completely changed."

Mother-of-four Ria, who uses the service, said the Easter period was going to be "really hard" to navigate.

"[During term time] during the day the children can eat their meals at school then you're just providing the evening meal," she said.

"There's even the breakfast club, so there's just that one meal a day that you're doing rather than the three.

"Three meals and snacks when they're off school can be really difficult."

Mr Haydon said the scale of donations received by the foodbank was not keeping pace with the number of clients using the Plymouth Foodbank Hub.

"We are always in need of food, we will always accept what anyone can give to us," he said.