'This isn't sustainable': Warrington Foodbank trustee warns rise in demand will continue

ITV News' Sam Taylor went to Warrington Foodbank to see how the rise in demand is affecting local people.

A trustee who turned his life around after receiving "a sense of purpose" from his local food bank has warned the demand for support will only continue to rise.

Ben Pennell, 40, went from being homeless and in recovery to working full-time thanks to the help he received from volunteers at Warrington Foodbank, but worries the cost of living crisis will soon make it harder to provide the support that saved his life.

He said: "They saw me as a whole person, rather than a problem they needed to solve.

“They took a chance on me and had belief in me when I didn’t have belief in myself - giving me opportunities, placing trust and responsibility in me."

Originally from Peterborough, Ben was put in social housing in Great Sankey.

He said: "I had no options. My only option was to move to a town in the North West I didn't know called Warrington.

"I wasn’t able to get benefits, so I had to come to a food bank and I was absolutely petrified. 

"But they saw something in me I didn't see in myself. They gave me hope at a time when I didn't feel there was any."

Ben started volunteering for the food bank and through his work got a job with the Trussell Trust, a charity that helps those in poverty and works with food banks including those in Warrington.

Ben said: "This place has been so instrumental to building me back up. Through the work I’ve done here I’m in a paid job.

"I’ve met so many people here that are now my friends and part of my support network. It’s like a second family. I wouldn’t like to think where I’d be without the food bank."

Ben is now one of Warrington Foodbank's trustees, but since he first arrived in Warrington he's seen first-hand how much demand has risen.

He said: "I remember when I first started here the guests coming through the door were probably half of what they are now. We’ve had to change how we do things.

"As people’s purses have tightened, donations have tightened up as well. Even though there might be an economic upturn, the effects of everything over the past five-ten years are going to have a long lasting effect."

Figures from the Trussell Trust reveal 300,056 emergency food parcels were provided to people facing hardship in the North West between April 2023 and March 2024 - more than ever before.

Just under half of those parcels were for children.

Volunteers at Warrington Foodbank worry 2024 could be another record-breaking year - while Ben fears the rising demand may make it impossible to provide the support that saved his life.

Ben said: "It's just not sustainable. I don't want to put a figure or an endpoint on it, but this can't carry on forever."

One of the many people Warrington Foodbank supports is Olivia, who works as a Healthcare Assistant in the NHS. She says that once her bills are paid she's unable to feed her two children.

She said: "Once I've paid them there's nothing left, so I have to come here to feed my children because I can go without - even though I shouldn't have to - but they need to eat."

Olivia said she was anxious about coming to a food bank for the first time, and would not have come back if it wasn't for the friendly and supportive volunteers.

She said: "The staff are amazing. When you get here they treat you like a human not just a machine. It's not like 'get your food and go', they're just really nice to you.

"They offer different support as well. Like today, I've been offered free school uniform for my kids which can be a massive cost for people. They help you with a lot more than what you think."

As it gets more expensive to supply the food and demand increases, a new fund from Cheshire Community Foundation hopes to help organisations in Warrington continue to provide support.

Tracey Pearson explains how the new Warrington Fund will help organisations and charities like the food bank continue to support locals as demand increases.

The Warrington Fund helps distribute donations and grants where they're needed most, from food banks to mental health charities.

Almost £100,000 is already in place from founding donors EMR, Flex, C4 Projects, BGen, Sellafield, and Warrington Borough Council.

Tracey Pearson, the Development Manager of the Warrington Fund, said: "We support thousands of charities across Cheshire. We’re sort of a bridge between donors and their local community.

"We recognised that in Warrington the need was greater than ever. We needed to grow a dedicated fund, build a pot of money, just to support the Warrington charities. We’ve been growing that fund so we can support community projects like the food bank."

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