Kent has called for donations from local communities to help Canterbury Food Bank to meet new levels of demand due to COVID-19.

Canterbury Food Bank has spent four times as much on food in two weeks as it did in the previous three years. Last week (30 March 2020) it supplied enough food to make 1,800 meals, with the economy forcing more people into financial difficulty. With millions staying at home and carrying out food shopping online, there has been a drop in the number of food donations at supermarkets which is the traditional line of supply.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Canterbury Food Bank would prepare around 600 meals a week for individuals and families in short-term financial crisis across Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay and surrounding villages.

The food bank recently launched a COVID-19 appeal and has been using cash donations to replenish its stock. This demand is likely to continue for some time and so more support is needed to keep the food bank in operation. With many current volunteers vulnerable to COVID-19, there is further concern that there will not be enough resource to distribute food to those who need it in weeks to come.

Peter Taylor-Gooby, Professor of Social Policy and Trustee of Canterbury Food Bank, said: ‘Demand is very high indeed with Canterbury Food Bank running at between three and four times the level before the crisis. We anticipate this continuing after the COVID-19 lockdown due to the economic dislocation and probable recession that may persist for several years. We have also had to change the way we work radically in order to prevent the spread of infection and manage illness-absence by our volunteers.’

Chair of the Canterbury Food Bank, Martin Ward, said: ‘It is unusual for us to use cash to buy supplies because the public has always supported us so well by donating food. Coronavirus has changed everything. These are worrying times and no-one knows when things will improve, but we will continue helping those who are least able to help themselves. People can be part of that by donating to the appeal or by leaving badly-needed food and household essentials at our supermarket bins. Stocks of long life milk, tinned vegetables, pasta sauce, instant mashed potato, cereal, jam and laundry powder are urgently needed.’

Many colleagues from the University are actively supporting Canterbury Food Bank and rallying support from the wider University of Kent community.

Take a look at Canterbury Food Bank’s COVID-19 GoFundMe Appeal page.