‘This shouldn’t be happening’

Only October 2021’s figures – no doubt caused by the Universal Credit uplift -– for referrals were higher than January 2022, and last month saw more families than ever struggling to feed themselves.

This latest surge, the charity’s volunteers say, will more than likely have been caused by the latest rise in fuel costs, forcing families already struggling to choose between food or heating their homes, a Horncastle News campaign.

Isabel Forrester is Horncastle Community Larder’s co-ordinator and spokesman, and she said new clients are coming forward all the time – many of them either families with multiple children or single-parent families who simply cannot afford to pay their bills and put food on the table.

She added that while they are seeing more referrals, they are also seeing a large increase in donations made.

“Often this period in January we have a bit of a lull but we’ve had a good amount of donations,” she said,

“I think this reflects that people are aware that we’re all feeling the pinch across the board and people are starting to feel that things have changed and are more compassionate, and they’re seeing that for some people, there’s no wiggle room.

“It’s been a hard month for us and the fuel issues are really hitting home. People are choosing between heating and eating and neither of these should be a question.

“The reality is that we’re a world leader in western civilisation and there shouldn’t have to be food banks and people shouldn’t have to apply for fuel grants.”

Isabel also said that the number of families who are working but still need referrals has also increased as the cost of living, but not wages, has risen: “I’m finding that a large portion of people have some sort of employment and that worries me – its so frustrating.”

The Community Larder is always in need of tinned meat, fruit, vegetables and toilet rolls.

Donations of food for the larder can be made at any of the community larder’s drop-off points at Tesco’s Horncastle, the Co-op on Conging Street, Lincolnshire Co-op on the High Street or at St Mary’s Church.

n Find out more by visiting www.horncastlecommunitylarder.co.uk.