IT CERTAINLY is food for thought.

As Christmas approaches, according to a national report, it’s a sad fact that there has been a huge increase in the number of people relying on foodbanks.

And volunteers from Basingstoke Foodbank say they have certainly seen an increased need for the service in the town.

The all-party parliamentary inquiry into hunger and food poverty in Britain revealed that the number of foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust, which operates one at the Trinity Methodist Church, in Sarum Hill, Basingstoke, has grown from a handful to 420 in the past 10 years.

The report states that many families are just one unexpected bill away from financial crisis.

Noel Matthews, communications co-ordinator for the Basingstoke Foodbank, told The Gazette: “What we see in Basingstoke pretty much reflects what we are seeing nationally. Benefit delays, low income and benefit changes are the three main reasons why people come to us.”

The Basingstoke Foodbank is run by volunteers from more than 30 churches in the town, and in the last year alone, it has helped over 2,500 people in crisis and in desperate need of food. Mr Matthews said this represents a 21 per cent increase on the previous year.

He added: “We have now been open two years, and we see a 20 per cent increase year-on-year – and we are still seeing people in crisis.”

However, 65 per cent of those helped by the foodbank only visit once.

Mr Matthews said: “That really is saying that these people are in short-term need. People can’t come to us and say they want food – they have to justify why they want it to an agency, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, who give them a voucher to come to us.

“Sixty-five per cent of those people aren’t coming back, which is great. The last thing we want is to get people weaned on to using foodbanks. We have always said we are there for people in crisis.”

The majority of people visiting the Basingstoke Foodbank do so because of benefit delays. This group represents 40 per cent, compared to 30 per cent nationally. And 61 per cent are single people, followed by 27 per cent families with children and 11 per cent couples.

Mr Matthews said: “We need to sort out the benefits system. There are clearly problems within the benefit system.”

He welcomed the national report highlighting the issue, and said: “It’s good there’s an acceptance that there’s a problem. It’s an all-party group saying there’s an issue here and we need to work together to resolve it. That’s got to be good.”

Downing Street said it would consider the report “seriously”.

The Basingstoke Foodbank provides users with enough food to last three days, which is given in an emergency rather than as a long-term solution.

It relies on donations, and Mr Matthews said he is overwhelmed by the generosity from members of the public, businesses and groups.

He added: “People are so generous. We did a collection at Tesco and we got three-and-a-half tons of food donated by local people. That is really heart-warming to have support from the local community.”

The foodbank is open on Mondays from 10.30am to 12.30pm, and on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

For more information visit basingstoke.foodbank.org.uk.