A food bank manager in Co Fermanagh has spoken of a deep sense of financial worry from local residents in the lead up to Christmas, as the organisation faces into its busiest ever period.
John Shades from the Enniskillen Food Bank has said the group has been "absolutely inundated" in recent weeks as rising living costs take their toll on people in the area.
The food bank gave away more than 15 tonnes of food last December but John told MyFermanagh that figure could be eclipsed this year as people’s outlook for their short term finances has grown gloomier than ever.
“There seems to be, bubbling away underneath the surface this real sense of impending doom or panic,” John said.
“People are struggling a wee bit now, but are more concerned about what is going to happen immediately after Christmas.
“At the moment we are absolutely inundated, but what I will say is the local community have been incredible. Our donations haven’t gone down and our community has pulled together.
“I don’t know if I have seen such a lack of optimism from people as I have in the last few weeks, people just seem really pessimistic.
“From someone who manages a food bank, it does not look as if it is getting any better.”
He added the positive impact from the £100 Spend Local card has been offset for the most part by the cut of the £20 weekly Universal Credit uplift, as well as soaring energy prices.
John added: “People have been worried about their Universal Credit top up being pulled next month, they have been fearing something that is over a month away already
“I have never really known people to be that negative minded about things so far in advance.
“We can give people groceries that might see them by for a couple of weeks, but how do you effect change to the extent that it will last?”
“The level of need has been so high, but we do what we can.”
“Things have been affected in a strange way because of the Spend Local card, it’s almost given people this false sense of security.
“They’ve had an extra £100, but then the reduction in the £20 Universal Credit uplift has had an impact on people.
“That has happened around the same time as the price increases in electricity, oil and fuel.
“We have seen an increase in the working poor looking for help, more than we have ever had before.”
