Food bank donations drop as demand rises in West of England
Food banks in the West of England report declining donations while demand increases, particularly affecting families during school holidays.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Food banks across the West of England are reporting a sharp drop in donations at a time when demand for their services is higher than ever. The situation is expected to worsen over the summer school holidays, as families who rely on free school meals face additional pressure.
In Bristol and South Gloucestershire, a central warehouse that supplies nine food banks and a food bank pantry has seen its stocks fall dramatically. A couple of years ago, shelves were stacked high in every category. Now, there are only five crates of soft drinks and 10 to 15 crates of milk, which amounts to less than a week's supply. The section once known as "Cereal Mountain" now holds just four crates. Warehouse managers say donations from supermarket collection bins have dropped significantly while the number of people seeking help has "massively increased."
In Castle Cary, a community larder is seeing more visitors like Matthew, a single father who comes several times a week. He uses the larder mainly for children's toiletries such as nappies and shower gels, and for small amounts of food for himself. He said the cost of living has made it hard to afford proper meals, and he prioritises his children over his own needs. With the summer holidays approaching, he expects to have to stretch his budget even further because his son will no longer get school meals.
Food bank organisers say they are trying to prepare for the increased demand over the next six weeks. Despite the drop in donations, they insist they will never turn a family away who needs support.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Demand for food bank services has increased. | |
| Donations to food banks in Bristol and South Gloucestershire have dropped. | |
| Families will face more difficulty feeding children over the summer holidays due to the loss of school meals. | |
| Food bank donations in Bristol and South Gloucestershire have dropped sharply while demand has increased, causing shortages of essentials like milk and cereal. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the local impact of the cost of living crisis, using a specific warehouse and a personal story from a single father to illustrate the gap between falling donations and rising need. It also ties the story to the new Prime Minister's pledge to help people live well, but quickly moves to the practical challenges facing food banks. The tone is sympathetic and factual, with no political commentary beyond noting the political context.
- “The warehouse a couple of years ago used to be about this high in every single category and now we've really dropped down in some categories.”
- “Half the time I can't really afford to feed myself a proper meal but as long as these two get what they need and that's what I find very useful about the pantry here.”
- “Although food banks have seen a drop in donations they say they will never turn a family away looking for support.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.