9,091 food parcels provided to people by Chichester District Foodbank in the last 12 months

Chichester District Foodbank has revealed that 9,091 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship across Chichester in the last year – with 5,158 of these going to children.

Levels of demand have remained consistently high since the pandemic as people continue to struggle to afford the essentials. Alarmingly, there was a 64% increase in the number of emergency food parcels distributed in April 2024 compared to the same month last year. A worrying sign for the year ahead.

Joanne Kondabeka, CEO at Chichester District Foodbank, stated: "This has been another busy year for our four foodbank centres across Chichester District, with unprecedented levels of need. Donations are not keeping up with demand, putting a strain on our operations. We need systemic changes to end the need for food banks and ask our community to continue supporting our 'Guarantee our Essentials' campaign."

The Chichester community's support is vital in ensuring that our foodbank centres can continue to help anyone in need. However, rising levels of demand have significantly impacted stock levels.

A typical emergency food parcel includes items like cereal, tinned fruit and vegetables, canned meat and fish, tea, coffee, biscuits, UHT milk, pasta, and rice. Chichester District Foodbank is having to purchase more stock as donations no longer meet local needs. Any donation is gratefully received and can be dropped off at directly to our warehouse at St John’s Hall, East Street Chichester or at donation points across the district.

Alongside the provision of emergency food, Chichester District Foodbank offers a warm welcome, as well as connections to advice and support to help reduce future needs. This includes referrals and signposting, direct support from our Citizens Advice Worker, peer support through our Stand Stronger Together group, and free school holiday events for families on low incomes.

A client shared, "I never thought I'd need a food bank, but the support I received went beyond just food. The warm welcome and additional support services helped me stabilise my life."

Chichester District Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network of food banks. Across the network, with more than 3.1 million emergency food parcels were provided nationally between April 2023 and March 2024. Over 1.1 million of these were for children.

The Trussell Trust urges urgent reform of the social security system, which is failing to protect people from going without life's essentials.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust, remarked: “It’s 2024, and we're facing historically high levels of food bank need. We must not let food banks become the new norm. With the upcoming UK General Election, we need all political leaders to act to ensure no one needs a food bank to survive. A supportive social security system is crucial, and we need to ensure everyone can get the right support at the right time.”

Food banks should not be a long-term solution. By taking bold action, political leaders can create a future where everyone has enough money to afford life's essentials. The time to act is now. For more on how to help, visit the Trussell Trust's website.