The branches of Somerset & North Devon Unite Community and Unite Taunton Retired Members have got together and are jointly donating £1,600 to foodbanks across Somerset and North Devon.

Somerset & Devon Unite Community Chair Andy Mitchell says, “Foodbanks are really struggling this year, because of increased demand and rising costs due to the cost-of-living crisis. Rising inflation has made it even harder for people who have been hit hard by high inflation and rocketing energy bills and many basic food items have gone up in price dramatically this year. Families who used to donate need help themselves, so donations to foodbanks have dwindled. It is shameful that foodbanks are needed in such a wealthy country, but, for millions of families, work does not pay enough to cover food and bills. To make matters worse, families who rely on Universal Credit are falling foul of increasing benefit sanctions and other benefit cuts, making foodbanks a necessity.

Foodbanks will not solve the problem of poverty. We’d all like to live in a society where food, baby and warm banks are not needed, but while they exist we must do what we can to support them. We owe the volunteers who run these organisations a great deal of gratitude. And while foodbanks do their important work our trade unions will continue to fight for better wages and conditions for all workers, so please continue to support them too.”