By Nick Griffiths and Henry Vane

Last updated at 13:24, Thursday, 20 September 2012

Organisers of a foodbank have warned of an expected rise in demand as winter approaches.

Staff and pupils from Caldew School, Dalston, appeal for more food for their foodbank. Front, Helen Brown and Rebecca Allen. Back from left, Nathan Coulson, Ellie Dryden, Jamie McLean Wykes, headteacher Chris McAree, Imogen Robinson, Andrew Cox and Gemma Heaviside

More than 110 food parcels were handed out by the Carlisle service during the spring and early summer and an appeal has gone out for donations ahead of the arrival of harsher weather.

Caldew School at Dalston, whose pupils have been instrumental in supporting the scheme, has also held assemblies about the foodbank and its needs and has asked its feeder primary schools to help out.

The city’s first foodbank opened in April, with the intention of helping people or families struggling with debt, redundancy or unexpected changes in their lives.

Rachael Rodway, chairwoman of the Carlisle One World Centre charity, helped set it up.

She said: “We suspect that as soon as the winter arrives we will need more. We are anticipating a greater need when the weather gets colder.”

Caldew School pupils have campaigned on behalf of the foodbank to gather food and raise awareness.

Cheryl Eastburn, enterprise and marketing manager at Caldew School, said they had been surprised by how many people in Carlisle needed food.

“The economy and rising fuel bills continue to cause huge problems,” she said.

“We expect demand this year to exceed last year.”

Mrs Eastburn said they were asking other schools to donate a few items or hold a collection to help people who are struggling.

“Schools have said they would put food aside for us to pick up and send to the foodbank,” she added.

Headteacher Chris McAree he was extremely pleased with what the teenagers had done. “It says a lot about their mindset that they decide to engage in social enterprise rather than make money for themselves,” he said.

Seventeen-year-old pupils Rebecca Allen and Helen Brown gave presentations to primary schools about the foodbank scheme and said they were very well received, with everyone “wanting to get involved.”

The Salvation Army has been handing out emergency food parcels in the city on an ad-hoc basis for the last 25 years.

But a rise in demand in recent years prompted various statutory and charitable bodies to contribute to the foodbank scheme.

People can be referred through a number of agencies including Churches Together and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The food parcels they receive are intended to feed someone for three days and consist of items such as tinned goods, long-life milk, cereals, pasta and sauces, instant mashed potato and tea and coffee.

They are distributed from Salvation Army bases at Abbey Street in the city centre and St Nicholas Street, off London Road.

First published at 11:27, Thursday, 20 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk