Lincoln food bank running out of supplies as demand rises

The soaring cost of living has led to a sharp increase in demand and a fall in donations, the charity says

Soaring living costs have led to a sharp increase in demand and a fall in donations, a food bank has said.

Amy Colley, co-ordinator at Lincoln Foodbank, said they had seen more people in the first three months of 2022 than in the whole of 2016.

She said they were struggling to meet demand and had run out of some items altogether, including milk and fruit.

Ms Colley said she feared they might have to turn people away if the situation did not improve.

"I was at the warehouse yesterday and there were quite a lot of items where the trays were completely empty," she said.

"If we don't have the food, there is no food to give out."

Lincoln Foodbank coordinator Amy Colley said they had run out of essential items like milk and fruit

So far this year, the charity, which is run in partnership with local churches, said it had distributed 26 tonnes of food, but had only received 16 tonnes in donations.

"We are in a 10-tonne deficit just because of the volume that is needed," Ms Colley said.

"It just gives an idea of the amount of people we are seeing."

She said some had never used a food bank before, and had previously donated items, but were now struggling due to the rising cost of living.

"It's affecting every single person," she said.

"We are seeing more people who are on the poverty line who simply don't have enough money, and more people in work who don't earn enough to make it stretch," she added.

Ms Colley spoke after business groups and unions called on the chancellor to act and not wait for the Autumn Budget to help people with the soaring cost of living, with UK inflation at a 40-year high.

Rishi Sunak told the annual Confederation of British Industry (CBI) dinner on Wednesday evening that the government was "ready to do more" to aid households.

"The next few months will be tough," he said. "But where we can act, we will."

Ms Colley urged people to "rally together" and give what they could, but said she appreciated the rising cost of living had made this more difficult.

"Every tin, every packet, goes to somebody in need - and makes such a difference," she added.