'Horrific' rise in civil servants using Stafford foodbank

The service has been operating in Stafford since 2020

A charity that provides food to working people in need says it has seen a huge rise in demand from NHS staff, police and civil servants.

Stafford not-for-profit organisation Hearts and Hands was to be a temporary service during coronavirus lockdowns.

But it said it was still needed to help those struggling with bills.

It is helping about 80 to 90 working families this winter who cannot afford Christmas dinner and presents.

Lorraine Conkey from the group said the situation was "frightening".

"We've got people who are in the NHS, in the police service, the civil service, county council workers - you name it, from all the walks of working people - they've come to us recently and it's horrific," she said.

"We should not be in business, basically... we're just trying to find ways and means to help as many people as we can."

The group collects surplus food from supermarkets

Hearts and Hands was set up in 2020 and began helping people who had been furloughed or were on zero hours contracts and could not afford to eat once they had paid their bills, Ms Conkey said.

She added the group started gathering food from supermarkets to hand out or deliver while also taking donations and had since helped thousands of people.

Some people, she said, were embarrassed to accept help as they had worked all their lives, but were struggling.

"For somebody to be on their knees and come and ask for help... just the relief on people's faces when you're giving them more than they expected as well", she told the BBC.

Ms Conkey urged people to not be embarrassed and to not "juggle between your heating and food".

Getting a thank you email from a person saying "you don't realise what a help you've been", keeps the team motivated, she said.

Christmas hampers will start being distributed next week as part of a seasonal programme.