A COMMUNITY larder in Ferndown has seen “unprecedented levels of demand” as people seek ways of feeding themselves and their families during the cost of living crisis.
Ferndown Community Larder in the town’s day centre has seen significant rises in demand month on month in September.
It saw a 15 per cent increase in the number of people using the larder in September, with 89 people needing it more than in August.
The larder, set up in April, provides food, pet food and hygiene items to 665 households in Ferndown, West Moors, St Leonards and Colehill.
Read more: Ferndown larder tackling food waste and fresh food deprivation
Founder Hannah Hobbs-Chell said there has been an “unprecedented level of demand” for the larder in September, adding: “It’s really hard to put into words.
“The cost of living crisis has definitely made things worse and what we are finding is people are stuck in a situation where they need as much support as they can get to make their situation better.
“There are also issues around care, a lack of social care and also issues with the benefits situation.
Read more: The alarming pressures on Dorset food banks this winter
Hannah added it comes as no surprise to her that people in Ferndown, an area with a reputation for being fairly wealthy, require food from the larder. She added: “We have a lot of people who are asset rich but cash poor.
“There are areas of wealth, but then there are pockets of people who aren’t as well off. Ferndown has some of the most deprived areas within our borders of Dorset.”
In September, Hannah said her larder processed more than 10,000 donated items and a further 211kg of other donations, of which 71 per cent were fresh food items.
Only 380 items (just under four per cent) of all items had to be composted. “We need to do better, so we have a plan of action to reduce this,” Hannah added.
Food is often donated from nearby shops and supermarkets and can be given away as long as the food is within the ‘use-by’ date,
Hannah added the work has been made easier by the “amazing volunteers” that she is “so lucky to have.”
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