A FOODBANK covering Wellington and Taunton saw a fall in donations in the past year despite continuing high demand for emergency food support.
Taunton Foodbank, which manages Wellington, said demand was still 20 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels.
Manager Sue Weightman said: “While food poverty remains high in our community, donations of food to the foodbank fell by 10 per cent over the financial year.
“This has meant the foodbank has needed to buy food to meet the needs of local people struggling to put food on the table.”
Ms Weightman said there had been a small drop in vouchers fulfilled between April last year and March, 2025, but they still totalled 3,182.
It was the second-highest number of vouchers issued in a single year since the foodbank opened 13 years ago.
The vouchers provided three days of food for 6,666 individuals which included 2,379 children.
Ms Weightman said: “These figures show that while we may have seen a slight drop from last year’s peak, the need for emergency food remains alarmingly high in our community.
“We continue to see the impact of rising living costs, benefit system issues, and health-related challenges on people’s ability to afford the basics.”
Ms Weightman is stepping down from her role after 10 years of service and the charity has started a recruitment process to replace her.
She said Taunton Foodbank, which was part of the Trussell Trust, remained a vital resource for many local people experiencing crisis.
Ms Weightman said: “As the cost of living continues to put pressure on households, the need for emergency food support shows no sign of diminishing.
“The foodbank is calling on the community to continue supporting its work through food donations, fund-raising, and volunteer efforts to ensure it can meet the ongoing demand.”
Trussell Trust chief executive Emma Revie said: “Far too many children, families, disabled people, working people, and elderly people from across the Taunton and Wellington area needed to access foodbanks for emergency food in the past year.
“This should be a wake-up call to Government and a stark reminder of their responsibilities to the people of our community.
“In the 13 years Taunton Foodbank has been operating, a whole generation has grown up in a society where sustained high levels of foodbank need feels like the norm.
“The community has teachers, doctors, and healthcare professionals now routinely referring people to foodbanks as part of their day to day jobs, showing how emergency food has sadly become a fixture.
“If you can, please play your part and help change this.”
Ms Revie said the reasons for people needing to use a foodbank were often complex, involving a combination of pressures.
Eight out of 10 clients relied on the benefits system for some or all of their income and often experienced delays and deductions in payments, while the rising cost of essentials and debt-related issues also played a part, along with challenges linked to physical or mental health conditions.
Anybody who wants to help the foodbank should visit its website.