Food bank makes appeal for treats for needy in Skegness this Christmas

The Storehouse food bank is experiencing a quieter period at the moment with many families on benefits having recently received a universal credit payment from the Government.

However, with the cost of living crisis the lull is expected to be short-lived.

Manager of the food bank Jonny Whelbourn said: “Things are steady at the moment but we are using this time to prepare for it to get busier.

“Outside of the universal credit payment when we tend to see a lull we have seen the numbers using the food bank on the rise.

"”We are now averaging between four and five hundred people a month that we are preparing food parcels for.

"Last year it was the 300-400 mark and around Christmas time it was around 700 people and so I am anticipating it is going to be above that this December."

”There is no algorithm to explain where the need is. There are people coming who we have never seen before and others who we have seen.

"Maybe some of those coming back are out of season people whereas we wouldn’t have seen them in the summer.”

The Christmas appeal is to add a treat to the basics included to provide a nutritionally balanced menu for three days.

"We are currently looking for things to make parcels more special,” said Jonny. “

"We are thinking of things like chocolates, treats – just when people take their parcels home and look in them they have a nice surprise.

"Perhaps something a little more festive than we would usually provide.”

Already they have received three trays of chocolate advent calendars from Butlin’s.

"Butlin’s have been fantastic and they are also putting some food parcels together for us and we are very grateful to them.

"Lots of schools are also collecting for us.”

Donations can be taken along to the Storehouse on North Parade. Basic items needed include:

- Tinned fruit and vegetables

- Tinned potatoes

- Tinned meatballs, chilli con carne or stew

- Tinned rice pudding

- Instant mashed potato

- UHT milk

- Pasta sachets

- Pasta and pasta sauce

- Biscuits

- Beans

- Soup

- Tea bags

- Cereals

- Instant porridge