Demand soaring for Darwen food charity

8:00pm Wednesday 19th December 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Dan Clough, Reporter

Ashley Meadowcroft, 16, who is staying at the Nightsafe centre, with Food Larder founder Zillah Griffin Ashley Meadowcroft, 16, who is staying at the Nightsafe centre, with Food Larder founder Zillah Griffin

A CHARITY which gives out food to poverty-stricken people in Darwen has seen a dramatic rise in the number of people needing to use its service.

The Food Larder was set up 17 years ago by Zillah Griffin, who saw a need in the town after retiring from her job as a health visitor in Blackburn.

The group, which started with five volunteers and now has 13, takes donations of food from churches.

Last year, the group gave food parcels to 87 people, but that has risen to 212 this year, and next year could be even worse, it is feared.

Mrs Griffin said: “I found there were problems with benefits books, particularly when there were changes to family circumstances.

“The books would be taken away and wouldn’t come back when expected, leaving families without money.

“One family had nothing for Christmas and there was nowhere open to help them, so I went and got food for them.

“Then I got the idea in my head that this might be something I could do when I was retired.”

For the past two years, the group has used a Nightsafe centre which houses young homeless people as its base.

This means they have a large kitchen to prepare meals and a good-sized storage area for the food.

The group has also been boosted by the arrival of Carolyn Newell, who started cooking full meals in September which are then put in trays and frozen.

Mrs Newell said: “I cook things like stews, curries and chillis, anything you can make a big pot of.

“It works better as a lot of the people using the service can’t cook.

“I will be doing about 50 Christmas dinners over the festive period as well.”

People can refer themselves or others to the Food Larder by calling 01254 705120, 24 hours a day.

Comments(10)

karltop says...
8:24pm Wed 19 Dec 12

"Needing" to use it, or wanting to use it. The two are different..

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frank says...
9:14pm Wed 19 Dec 12

it's great that people will set up these food bank places but it's a sad reflection on a government that makes them necessary.

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workaholic says...
10:55pm Wed 19 Dec 12

Well done ! Thank god someone cares!

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2 for 5p says...
11:16pm Wed 19 Dec 12

frank wrote:
it's great that people will set up these food bank places but it's a sad reflection on a government that makes them necessary.
why the government gives them benefit money.
what do you suggest give them more and tax the rest of us more .

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english rose 1 says...
1:13am Thu 20 Dec 12

Yes ! I for one don't mind paying more tax to have a decent society ! We have seen the benefits bill soar under this stupid govt because of the poverty, extra unemployment, part time working etc.
*
Most benefits goes to pensioners - I don't mind paying taxes to see a decent standard of living in old age as I'll be a pensioner one day !
*
What this Govt is doing is giving people less as well as taxing them more ! (except for the super rich of course).
*

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Excluded again says...
8:04am Thu 20 Dec 12

workaholic wrote:
Well done ! Thank god someone cares!
No, just don't give them less.

And don't stop benefits for weeks when there is a change in someone's circumstances or when there is a review.

One of the worst is disability benefits. When ATOS do a 'medical' review they frequently decide someone who is not fit for work is fit for work. The person wins on appeal, but while the appeal is going on, their disability benefits are stopped and they have no money. Its a sneaky way of the government saving money even from those who genuinely do need the benefits.

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happycyclist says...
2:52pm Thu 20 Dec 12

Excluded again wrote:
workaholic wrote:
Well done ! Thank god someone cares!
No, just don't give them less.

And don't stop benefits for weeks when there is a change in someone's circumstances or when there is a review.

One of the worst is disability benefits. When ATOS do a 'medical' review they frequently decide someone who is not fit for work is fit for work. The person wins on appeal, but while the appeal is going on, their disability benefits are stopped and they have no money. Its a sneaky way of the government saving money even from those who genuinely do need the benefits.
ATOS don't make the decisions, they just complete reports, which are then sent to decision-makers at DWP/Jobcentreplus

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slimitus says...
10:06am Fri 21 Dec 12

happycyclist wrote:
Excluded again wrote:
workaholic wrote:
Well done ! Thank god someone cares!
No, just don't give them less.

And don't stop benefits for weeks when there is a change in someone's circumstances or when there is a review.

One of the worst is disability benefits. When ATOS do a 'medical' review they frequently decide someone who is not fit for work is fit for work. The person wins on appeal, but while the appeal is going on, their disability benefits are stopped and they have no money. Its a sneaky way of the government saving money even from those who genuinely do need the benefits.
ATOS don't make the decisions, they just complete reports, which are then sent to decision-makers at DWP/Jobcentreplus
happycyclist Actually, Atos lie about the interview or the questionnaire ( had one and witnessed it first hand ) Thankfully i'm sick enough to have got esa but a lot of people haven't due to the lies that Atos tell to get people off of benefits.

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slimitus says...
10:07am Fri 21 Dec 12

happycyclist wrote:
Excluded again wrote:
workaholic wrote:
Well done ! Thank god someone cares!
No, just don't give them less.

And don't stop benefits for weeks when there is a change in someone's circumstances or when there is a review.

One of the worst is disability benefits. When ATOS do a 'medical' review they frequently decide someone who is not fit for work is fit for work. The person wins on appeal, but while the appeal is going on, their disability benefits are stopped and they have no money. Its a sneaky way of the government saving money even from those who genuinely do need the benefits.
ATOS don't make the decisions, they just complete reports, which are then sent to decision-makers at DWP/Jobcentreplus
If it wasn't for Atos, there wouldn't be so many destitute people in the UK right now. I had my interview recorded and had a copy of the report but strangely enough the majority of that report were missing ( go figure ) .

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2 for 5p says...
6:42am Mon 24 Dec 12

Why Dont the gutter scum just buy bread and scrape

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