DUE to fantastic food and finance donations in the autumn, Basingstoke Foodbank will not be asking for any more donations this month.

The foodbank took to Facebook to share the news with residents across Basingstoke and Deane.

It posted: "Due to fantastic food and finance donations through the autumn, we will not be asking for donations throughout January. Thank you, everyone - you have been amazing. Please get in touch with us if you're struggling financially and are finding it hard to find funds to buy food."

The news was proudly welcomed by Foodbank's chair of trustees Phil Thomas who said it is great news, considering the fact that residents continue to struggle with the cost-of-living crisis.

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke Foodbank sees surge in demand for help

He said: “The people and businesses of Basingstoke have been amazingly generous to the foodbank this Christmas, both in terms of food and financial donations. It’s heart-warming to know that even though everyone is struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, people are still willing to think about those worse off than themselves and donate accordingly.

"It’s humbling to everyone who works and volunteers at the foodbank. We know that many foodbanks in the UK are struggling with a lack of resources, but thanks to the fantastic response, that’s not true of Basingstoke! Thank you so much to everyone who’s helped.”

The news comes after it was revealed that in Basingstoke, for the last quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, demand rose by a staggering 82 per cent.

Nationally between April and September, foodbanks in the Trussell Trust network distributed 1.3 million emergency food parcels from April 1 to September 30, 2022. Almost half a million of these were for children. 

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Phil previously said he was sad there is still a need for a foodbank in Basingstoke.

Speaking previously, he said: "While we are immensely grateful to the people and businesses of Basingstoke for their support over the years, and for the sterling efforts of over 100 volunteers, we’re sad that in 2022 there is still a need for a foodbank in our town.

“The current economic crisis means demand for our services is growing again and until the benefits system in this country is reformed, there will continue to be people and families in crisis with not enough to eat.”