A HUGE surge in demand for the foodbank in Malmesbury saw the number of users triple last year – which is a worrying sign of the times according to its chairman.

Malmesbury and District Foodbank provided 233 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis between April and September last year – more than three times the number of the previous year’s total of 75.

Of the 233 care packages, 145 were required for children.

A further 176 were given out over the winter period, which was more than double the amount of the previous year.

Malmesbury Town Council member and chairman of the Malmesbury and District Foodbank, Ray Sanderson, says the “bumper” year at the foodbank shows how people are struggling to make ends meet.

“More people are having a hard time,” he said.

“I think there was a perception that there weren’t people in food poverty in Malmesbury, which is deemed to be affluent, but we’re having more and more referrals.

“They are coming particularly through medical teams, for example district nurses.

“When people don’t want to admit they can’t afford to put food on the table, some families are feeding their children and not feeding themselves, so they’re becoming ill.

“This is highlighted in conversation with doctors and social services. I’m amazed that this has been the case.”

The Trussell Trust, the anti-poverty charity that the Malmesbury Foodbank is a part of, saw more than 500,000 three-day emergency food parcels distributed from its foodbanks in the first half of last year.

Town councillor Gavin Grant, chairman of HEALS of Malmesbury, a charity that supports the vulnerable, says he has seen a significant increase in the number of people asking for food vouchers.

“It only takes one big problem to occur in someone’s life and they become very vulnerable,” he said.

“When something goes wrong, trying to get back to where you should be takes effort and time.

“People are left to fend for themselves and it puts a lot of pressure on individuals and families who are just about getting by.”

The primary reason for someone to be referred to foodbanks in the UK is delays or mistakes with benefit payments. Issues with benefits accounted for 44 per cent of all foodbank referrals last year.

Cllr Grant added: “A lot of the benefits forms are lengthy and complicated. We see people who have made a mistake in the 30 page form and this causes delays in payment or a re-assessment which can take weeks.

“In that time income might go down but costs don’t and they get into position where they can be struggling to put food on the table.”

David McAuley, Trussell Trust chief executive, said: “As the number of emergency food parcels provided to people by foodbanks rises once again, it’s clear that more can be done to get people back on their feet faster.

“Many foodbanks now host independent welfare and debt advisers but they cannot solve all the issues.

“We must make sure the welfare system works fairly, stopping people getting to a point where they have no money to eat.”