WINCHESTER Basics Bank has held its annual general meeting.
The meeting at the United Church in Jewry Street reviewed the progress made since the group was set up in 2004.
New statistics showed that, in 2023, demand for the service rose 34 per cent from 2022, with the foodbank serving 7,081 people across the Winchester district last year.
The foodbank’s Holiday Lunch Scheme was also discussed. In 2023, the scheme saw 167 families with a total of 345 children provided with 10 weeks' worth of weekday lunches while schools were on holiday.
Volunteers were thanked for their work for the Basics Bank. However, charity chiefs also spoke of a large amount of new referrals to the service due to the cost-of-living crisis.
From left: Winchester Basics Bank volunteers Cat Heathcock, Lucy Dillon (Trustee) and Liz Whitfield (Image: Winchester Basics Bank)
READ MORE: Winchester Basics Bank sees increased demand 20 years after founding
While inflation is going down, the charity said that basic food prices are remaining high, with Winchester Basics Bank meeting three times the pre-pandemic demand, complimenting additional demand met by food pantries in Winchester.
The bank is also facing a gap between demand and the amount of food donated by the community. This has resulted in more than £1,500 of supermarket purchases being made each week to fill the gap.
On a more positive note, the meeting heard that collaborative work between Winchester Basics Bank, Unit 12 Pantry and the Carroll Centre Pantry is helping the community.
The meeting closed with a word of thanks to the volunteers, as well as the churches, corporations and charities who provide resources. However, there remains a call for further help and new business models to meet the expected rise in demand.
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