AN EMERGENCY appeal in support of the Warwick District Foodbank has been launched by the Warwick and Leamington COVID-19 Help Group.
Demand for food parcels has increased 15 per cent since the coronavirus crisis hit. This is due to fewer free school meals being provided coupled with a rise in the number of people awaiting Universal Credit payments. At the same time there has been a huge drop in food donations.
Coun Helen Adkins, who represents Leamington Willes at Warwickshire County Council and is one of the organisers, said: “We are very concerned that local families are going hungry at this very difficult time.
“People haven’t stopped caring, but they have changed their shopping habits due to the risk of infection, and this has unfortunately been to the detriment of the Foodbank.
“We hope that by launching this appeal, we can enable people to make the donations they would normally make as part of their weekly shop, in cash instead.”
Warwick District Foodbank currently needs to produce around 160 boxes a week of essential foodstuffs at a total cost of around £4,500 a week.
Visit www.gofundme.com/warwickfoodbankcovid19 to support the appeal.
Visit warwickleamingtoncovidhelp.wordpress.com for further information about the Warwick and Leamington COVID-19 Help Group.
If anyone needs help and cannot get online, they can call 01926 674065 and leave a message and they will get a call back.
