Covid: Lichfield community group sees drop in food donations
A group that delivers food parcels to families in need said it has seen a huge drop in donations and volunteers.
Helping Each Other Lichfield was set up during Covid restrictions in March. It helps about 80 families in Staffordshire but has gone from giving dozens of bags of food each week to just a handful. Organiser Elaine Hutchings said the group was now having to buy food from donated funds. She said when they began, firms were dropping off pallets of food but that had stopped. "I think businesses had surplus and I do not think they have surplus any more and it is difficult for them as a business to be able to donate," she added. "I think people being made redundant, losing their income and dropping in income has also affected maybe their ability to donate to us." One of the people they support, Nicola, a single mother, said with four teenagers now studying at home there was not enough food to go round. "Obviously it has been a bit tougher, that is where the food parcels have come in handy," she said. A study conducted by University College London found fewer people are doing voluntary work than during the first lockdown. Researchers said more people were working this time and the novelty of increased free time may have worn thin. Mrs Hutchings said the group had seen volunteer numbers dwindle from 25 in May to about six now. But she said those still involved would not stop helping people. "I never had any idea this would happen in March and I would be delivering food boxes - you can't say 'now I am not'. I can't do that, knowing there is need out there." Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk