To help support people who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, Bedford Foodbank has received a grant of £50,000 from the Council.
Rising living costs and increasing energy bills mean that the numbers referred to Bedford Foodbank is on the rise. Over 1,800 local residents are in food poverty and currently rely on the Foodbank’s service to avoid going hungry.
The funding will enable the charity to provide food parcels to more residents and they will also bring in an additional member of staff to help deal with the higher number of service users.
Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough, said: “Supporting local people facing a crisis is a priority for us. While we are concerned about the rising number of people relying on these services, we’ll do what it takes to stop them having to make the decision between heating or eating.
“Alongside this additional funding, we’re working with local partners to develop a Warm Spaces Network across the Borough, where people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis can go to stay warm during the colder months.”
You can find out more about Warm Spaces in Bedford Borough here.
Sarah Broughton, Project Manager at Bedford Foodbank, said: “This grant of £50,000 from Bedford Borough Council will enable Bedford Foodbank to continue to feed over 1800 people a month who are experiencing food poverty.
“This money will make a massive difference to so many households facing hard financial decisions this winter. Bedford Foodbank will use this funding to help alleviate some of the pressures families are encountering with the recent cost of living crisis.”
