Colchester mum 'struggles everyday' to feed children

The use of emergency food parcels has more than tripled in the last six years. 

In 2023 to 2024, there was 23,394 emergency food parcels in total handed out in Colchester making it the 24th worst place in the UK and the worst in Essex.

In the last year, 14,107 of those parcels were for adults and 9,287 for children.

BY comparison in 2017 to 2018, emergency food parcel usage was 6,325 in total, with 4,000 parcels for adults and 2,325 parcels for children.

Co-directors - Armin Lange and Nikki Ranson are the co-directors of Colchester Foodbank (Image: Colchester Foodbank)

The Trussell Trust said that food banks can provide emergency parcels to those who are eligible through the exchange of a food voucher.

JP, a single Stanway mother to children aged ten, eight and six, said every day was a struggle. 

JP fled from domestic violence five years ago, and despite receiving benefits, struggles to make ends meet due to the rising cost of living.

JP, who also battles depression and anxiety, said: "I struggle everyday to feed and clothe my kids, sometimes I think what’s the worth in living, I’m failing them and I can’t even feed them.

"They would be in care by now if I couldn’t come here and get food and clothes for them.

"I don’t drive or have money for the bus, so walking over allows me to get food for my kids.

"At least they won’t go to bed crying they are hungry tonight."

In 2017 to 2018, there were four distribution centres in Colchester, and now there are 11. 

However, the biggest increase in the total parcels distributed took place in 2022-2023 which saw 21,305 parcels in total distributed – an increase of 6382 from the last year coinciding with the cost-of-living crisis.

Nikki Ranson, co-director of Colchester Food Bank, said she was "saddened" by the news.

Locations - Colchester Foodbank is located in Tollgate Retail Park and there is also another foodbank in Greenstead and at Colchester Baptist Church (Image: Newsquest)

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: “The significant increase in food parcel usage in Colchester mirrors a trend seen across the country by the Trussell Trust.

"While food banks play a vital role in supporting those in need, it's important to address the root causes of food insecurity.”

The spokesman said while the council does not directly fund food banks, they are supported in several ways, with the council’s Financial Equality and Wellbeing team co-locating with the food bank twice a week.

The team can refer people to the foodbank when needed and in the past year (April 2023 to March 2024) 439 residents facing financial hardship were referred, compared to 308 referrals in the previous year (April 2022 to March 2023).

Residents struggling financially are encouraged to visit www.colchester.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support/.“