DEMAND for foodbanks is at its highest level in Newport since the start of the pandemic.

More people are relying on food banks in the city than they were before the pandemic, new figures from the Trussell Trust show.

The charity said it is not right that so many people across the UK are facing destitution and warned the need for food banks will rise further over the winter.

In Newport, 1,916 emergency food parcels – containing three or seven days' worth of supplies – were handed out by the Trussell Trust between April and September.

This was up from 1,833 during the same period in 2019, but below the 2,416 handed out last year.

They were among 935,749 parcels handed out by the charity across the UK over the six-month period, including 55,114 in Wales.

This means around 5,100 emergency food parcels were provided for people across the UK every day, including almost 2,000 for children.

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The Trussell Trust said it expects this to rise to more than 7,000 a day in December, as poorer families struggle with rising fuel costs, inflation and the recent removal of the £20-a-week Universal Credit uplift.

The figures do not include the number of people helped by thousands of other groups providing food aid such as community organisations and independent food banks.

Emma Revie, Trussell Trust chief executive, said: “Everyone in the UK should be able to afford the essentials – to buy their own food and heat their homes.

“Yet food banks in our network continue to see more and more people facing destitution with an increase in food parcels going to children. This is not right.”

She added: “The answer must be for us to have the stability of a strong enough social security system to protect any one of us when we need it."

More than 350,000 parcels went to children between April and September this year – 15 per cent more than in 2019.

In Newport, 700 were handed to youngsters, compared to 903 last year

Newport Foodbank has issued an appeal for stock ahead of a Christmas period expected to be even busier.

Items in short supply include - tinned tomatoets, custard, rice pudding, pasta sauce, small jars of coffee, tinned meat, hot snacks such as Pot Noodles, squash and toiletries

Donations can be made at Asda in Duffryn and Pill, Tesco on Cardiff Road and Spytty or Sainsbury’s in John Frost Square or Caerleon.

Another of the city's foodbanks, Stow Park, have issued an appeal for the following: non-perishable food, tins, pasta, tea, coffee and milk.

To donate to Stow Park foodbank, take your items to Stow Park Church Centre, NP20 4FX.