Foodbank use Soars in the Horsham District
Did you know that Horsham Foodbank provided food for nearly three and a half times as many people this June than it did in the same month last year? Some 684 people received support from one of the local charity’s foodbanks in June as the cost of living rises force residents to make some hard choices.
According to a recent survey of Horsham Foodbank users 15% have never before had to use a foodbank and 55% cited the cost-of-living crisis as the reason for seeking help. All of those who took part in the survey said they had no savings at all to fall back on in an emergency.
Foodbank users have many different reasons for seeking for help. There are those in low-paid work who are finding price increases have made buying enough food impossible, or families facing an unexpected bill which has stretched their income just too far. There are also clients who are waiting for benefits claims to be processed (which can take up to five weeks) as well as those can’t work due to sickness, from a cancer patient awaiting benefits payment to a client who has long covid and is no longer receiving sick pay.
Whatever the reason Horsham Matters is there to help, not only with emergency food but benefits advice, budgeting and debt support.
The charity runs six foodbank sessions a week in central Horsham and eight via its mobile foodbank that visits the towns and villages surrounding Horsham. If you need help, please call 0300 124 0204 or go to www.horsham-matters.org.uk.
To donate to the charity’s Cost of Living fundraising campaign, please see the website or go to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Horshamcostoflivingcrisis.
Could you walk across hot coals for Horsham Matters?
