Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank stocks low as Christmas approaches

The foodbank's warehouse in Blurton currently only has about a month's supply of food

A food bank in Stoke-on-Trent has said its supplies are being depleted ahead of the busy Christmas period.

Bosses fear they only have enough food to last about a month.

Director of operations Corrine Boden said the food bank needed more donations if it was to stay stocked into the new year.

She said the charity was seeing increasing numbers of people turn to it for help with feeding their families.

"We're really busy and we've seen growth and the potential to see more growth in people using the foodbank over the next few months," explained Ms Boden.

She said there was a high level of in-work poverty in Stoke-on-Trent, with the charity's records indicating that more than half of service users were employed.

'Really struggling'

Ms Boden said: "They can't afford the food and they can't afford the basics so they're really struggling at the moment."

The charity usually likes to have a stock of two to three months in reserve but that is being further compromised by overheads such as warehouse heating and delivery costs, Ms Boden reports.

Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank operates at 15 locations and also works with other agencies so people can get financial advice as well as food.

The charity is calling for people to make financial donations if they are able, or to donate tinned goods via supermarket drop-off points.