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Food bank use in Garstang soars as families ‘struggle to cope’

Posted on - 8th December, 2021 - 12:00pm | Author - | Posted in - Charities, Garstang, People, Preston News
L-R Jane Sandiford (Sales Executive, McCarthy Stone) and Kathryn Sperring (Ordinand, Food Hall manager)

On the run up to Christmas, foodbank use in the Garstang area has risen, with people turning to the St Thomas’s Church Food Club for help.

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The food packages that they send out not only help families but also older people who are out of the way and struggle to get provisions.

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This is usually a busy time but St Thomas’s say demand for the Food Club has increased earlier than usual.

During this time, the McCarthy Stone Foundation has donated £250 to St Thomas’s to help with the demand.

Read more: Construction of new £7 million Garstang care home now underway

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Kathryn Sperring from St Thomas’s Church Food Club said: “We are grateful to the McCarthy Stone Foundation for this timely donation.

“There are so many families in the area who are in desperate need of help through the provisions of food and other items, but also older people who are isolated and struggle to access food; and this is only set to increase as we head into the Christmas season, which is typically our busiest time of the year. So many people in today’s society face financial difficulties and this has only got worse due to the recent change to the benefits system. 

“In Garstang there is a local indoor market with lots of lovely stalls selling everything from meats and vegetables to sweets and gifts. We buy a selection of vouchers and put together a big booklet for families so they can go to the market and buy the things they need to make their Christmas enjoyable. We do this well in advance of the big day so that people know it’s coming and they don’t go into any unnecessary debt. It really is a desperate situation at the moment, so having this extra money is going to make such a massive difference.”

Read more: Cards for Kindness to be distributed to those in care homes across Preston and Lancashire

The McCarthy Stone Foundation is the independent, registered charity of developer and manager of retirement communities, McCarthy Stone, which has a development coming soon to Garstang.

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Debbie Bond, Marketing Executive for McCarthy Stone, said: “We really wanted to show our support to the community of Garstang, many of whom are facing such difficult times. Christmas is a time of year that should be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what their circumstances are.

“The St Thomas’s Church Food Club is such a wonderful community project and the dedicated team of volunteers work so hard to support local families and individuals, week after week. We are thrilled that our donation will really make a difference as they support a growing number of people facing significant hardship.”

St Thomas’s Church Food Club is a small local food bank which seeks to serve those in need in the local community with a weekly Food Club.  For more information and to find out how to donate, visit the Neighbourly website


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What do you think about the increased food bank use this year? Let us know in the comments.

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