Foodbank 'run off feet' as donations decline

Demand for help from charity has increased

Report by BBC Isle of Man

The Isle of Man Foodbank says it's been inundated with requests for help while facing a marked drop in donations.

The organisation based in Douglas, with northern and southern hubs, is the only foodbank on the Island.

Operations Manager Erica Irwin told BBC Isle of Man the number of food parcels sent out to people, either for a single person or for a family, has jumped by about a third in six months.

She said they were "absolutely run off our feet at the moment, the phone just never stops" but they were receiving "a lot less food".

The Douglas hub is currently sending out between 80 and 90 food parcels a week, which could be made up for one person or a family.

That was a marked rise, Ms Irwin said, from six months ago when they were sending out between 50 and 60 packages per week.

Across the whole charity, with branches in Ramsey and Port Erin, this number has doubled.

Ms Irwin described a situation where the food bank was "inundated with people requesting help" and every day "firefighting".

While the Manx public are "amazing" at giving to charities, Ms Irwin said, the current financial climate meant people had less to spare.

She said: "Everybody's tightening their belts which means giving less away, understandably, but we are feeling that impact."

The food bank is particularly in need of jarred sauces, tinned food, and freeze dried food packets.

Ms Irwin said many of the people they helped may not have access to ovens or may struggle due to illnesses.

Therefore food that could be made using a kettle or a microwave were especially useful.

There is a supermarket donations drive scheduled for the end of November, aiming to boost stocks ahead of Christmas.