Churches in Newcastle-under-Lyme support vulnerable families during lockdown
Newcastle Foodbank

Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank is helping to feed hundreds of people by keeping its six centres open at St Luke’s Methodist Church in Clayton, All Saints Church in Madeley, The Bethel Centre in Silverdale, Elim Pentecostal Church in Chesterton, Newcastle Congregational Church in Newcastle town centre and St Thomas’ Church in Kidsgrove.

The foodbank has introduced a pre-packed food parcel system to ensure it can continue to open across Newcastle borough during lock-down and meet the heightened needs of the community. 

Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank was created in 2012 and is run in partnership with Churches Together in Newcastle and other organisations. It aims to bring people together to offer hope and restore dignity to those suffering hunger and poverty. 

Last year it supported more than 5,100 people. This year, they have fed more than 1,000 people in March and April alone – which represents a 38% increase on the same time last year. 

Trustee and secretary Jane Baker, part of St Thomas’ Church in Kidsgrove where her husband Iain is Vicar, explains that they have seen “a significant increase in foodbank use at this time as families struggle with issues such as ill health, redundancy, no access to free school meals, and reduced income from furlough leave.

“We want to thank everyone who has helped and contributed to Newcastle-Staffs Foodbank over the last few weeks as it all makes a huge difference to hundreds of lives.”

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Source URL: https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/stories-and-features/feeding-multitude