Harborough foodbank is now helping to feed over 300 families as the rising cost of living takes its toll

A crucial Market Harborough foodbank is now helping to feed over 300 families as the rising cost of living takes its toll.

The Jubilee Foodbank is supporting both hard-up families and individuals struggling to make ends meet in Market Harborough and the surrounding villages.

More people are asking for support as spiralling inflation, higher prices for food and petrol, much steeper heating bills and the Covid pandemic are beginning to hit them hard.

Liz Mills, 46, the foodbank’s chairperson, said they are getting behind more people needing food as the pound in their pocket goes nowhere near as far as it did a few months ago.

The community stalwart spoke as she saluted local people as well as churches, schools and businesses for donating vital food stocks to them.

“We are supporting over 300 local households this year so far," said Liz, who was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours list for her community work.

“We are incredibly grateful for the many, many donations that we have received over the Harvest Festival period.

“I’d like to thank each and every one of them so much for all of their support because it’s absolutely critical for us.

“Schools, churches and businesses in Market Harborough and across the area have been showing how thankful they are for their food by donating food to Jubilee Foodbank,” said Liz.

Paying tribute to big-hearted residents, she added: “The Harborough community continues to be incredibly generous and thoughtful in their giving and we appreciate every single donation made to us.”

Set up in 2012 by Market Harborough Congregational Church and Churches Together, the Jubilee Foodbank has rocketed from handing out just a few parcels a week to giving out a stunning 30,000 meals to grateful people in 2020.

The most useful foods that you can donate include cartons of long life semi-skimmed milk, tinned meat/chicken, jars of pasta sauce and small jars of sandwich paste.

You can donate food to the town’s foodbank at the Refill Revolution at the Eco Village on St Mary’s Road, Market Harborough, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, both Co-op supermarkets, B&M, Harborough Leisure Centre and the Co-op in Great Glen.

You can check out the Jubilee Foodbank here:

Jubilee Foodbank Market Harborough – Food in times of need https://jubileefoodbankmh.uk/Shopping List – Jubilee Foodbank Market Harborough https://jubileefoodbankmh.uk/shopping-list/