To heat or eat: Why NI food banks are busier than ever

Bangor and Moira food banks have been very busy in the run-up to Christmas

A house with straw on the floor for warmth and a man whose only cooking appliance is a kettle - this is Christmas in two of Northern Ireland's most affluent areas.

While house prices in Bangor and Moira are well above average, food bank volunteers say "it is another world behind people's doors".

The County Down food banks are in the middle of their busiest month.

In the last financial year, food banks gave out almost 33,000 meals in NI.

That is about one fifth of the UK total - and that figure looks set to rise.

In the warmer months, between April and September, 13,666 three-day emergency food packages were given out by food banks in Northern Ireland.

The average house price in Northern Ireland is £135,000, but it rises to £213,000 in Bangor and £188,000 in Moira, according to online property website Zoopla.

"People say, 'why do you need a food bank in Moira?' but you do not know what goes on behind closed doors," Keith Nickels, a volunteer at GAP Community Centre in Moira, told BBC News NI.

"People would definitely be surprised. I have been into a number of houses in the area and you would be surprised how people live. People try to save by not having the heating on during winter.

"In one home I went into there was straw on the floor. It is unbelievable how people live even today. It is another world behind people's doors.

"Most of them I would say live on their own or are single mums, single parents, who cannot afford food. A lot of them have health issues and cannot work and a lot are on this new Universal Credit which has put people back."

The GAP Ministries food bank has been running in Main Street, Moira, for five years. This is their busiest Christmas ever.

"There is more of a stigma [in areas like Moira and Bangor]," said Keith.

"There are people who will not come in and phone us to see if we can bring in food to them and we have to assess them in their homes."

The food bank in Bangor relies on volunteers

Ken Scott, manager of Bangor NI Foodbank, is facing similar issues in north Down.

"Pride is a big issue and we try to go to great lengths to protect their dignity because of that," Ken told BBC News NI.

"My biggest concern is that we're dealing with the people who have swallowed their pride but how many are out there that are suffering because of their pride?"

The food bank which opened in 2012 is located at the town's Elim Centre and has seen more than a 30% increase in users in the last four weeks.

"There's this old adage of Bangor being on the Gold Coast and not being affected by the recession, that's certainly not true for everyone.

"There was one young chap, who was about 23, who presented himself to us at our welcome centre. Our volunteers always ask what cooking facilities the person has to make sure we're giving them something they can use. All he had was a kettle."

Ken Scott says the food bank also needs toiletries 'to respect people's dignity'

And Ken is keen to dispel misconceptions about food bank users.

"We need Bangor people to help Bangor people. I would like people in Bangor to realise that this is an issue that is not just for people that they think sponge off the government - we see genuine hardship cases.

"I have had a lot of people who, when they heard what I do have said, 'oh, so you feed all the spongers then' and that's such a misconception.

"Most of people we deal with are just on breadline and sadly that's a very easy position to find yourself in."

Holiday hardship

School holidays also lead to an increase in food bank users.

"The holidays can be very difficult for families, especially for those with children who receive free school meals because that may be the only good meal that child gets, and then they lose that," said Ken.

Keith added: "Especially coming up to Christmas we are busier than we are normally would be because coming into winter it is getting colder and it is heat or eat - that is the choice.

"Without food banks there would be a lot of hungry people and people would have to sacrifice more than perhaps they do at the moment.

"We are always looking for food and volunteers. It is a matter of reaching out to people and helping in whatever way we can.

"We are also doing a Christmas Day dinner for people who are on their own at Moira Baptist Church hall."

• You can get in touch with Keith by calling 07761032023 and Ken on 07821791674