TWO strained foodbanks are making a huge appeal for donations as one is set to smash previous records for demand.

Lord’s Larder, in Chard, and the Minster Food Bank and Food Share in Ilminster, are calling on people from the two towns to help them support those most in need.

Two residents, who rely on the food banks and have called the support a “lifeline”, have also come forward highlighting the work done by vital services.

John White, from Lord’s Larder, said: “Demand for emergency food during the first quarter of 2017 has seen us hand out 213 bags compared with 136 bags for the same period in 2016 - a massive increase of 56.6 per cent.”

“To meet this demand the people of Chard have not been found wanting and supplied some 75 per cent of donated items, leaving a shortfall during the first quarter of around 23 bags per month, which has been made up by bulk purchasing from existing funds.

“If you look at the demand side of things, the level for 2017 is in fact the highest we have on record and I thoroughly expect 2017 total to smash the previous amount.

“2014 was the highest year we had before. 162 bags were issued for the first quarter and we finished having handed out 568 bags in total for the year.”

The Minster Church’s Food Bank and Food Share, run from Sweet Surprise cafe, needs people to donate more food for and for more volunteers to come forward.

One Food Bank user, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “We have to use the Food Bank at the moment because my partner has lost his job.

“We are using all my wages to pay the essential bills and utilities.

“Without Food Bank, we wouldn’t be able to eat.

“The Food Bank is providing a lifeline.”

The resident has been given special permission to have more than three tokens due to their exceptional circumstances.

They added: “Thank you to the kind people of Ilminster because they do not realise what a massive difference there are making.”

An Ilminster resident, who is using the Food Share service and also wished to remain anonymous, said: “We are using it because we don’t have as much disposable income as we used to, we don’t want to see good food go to waste, and we always look to support community initiatives.

“We would struggle without this facility and would have to find another way to make do. Food Share makes a really big difference, especially for those people who are struggling and don’t want to tell people they are struggling.

“Food Share is a brilliant, discrete service.”

The Food Bank, run by retired clergyman Michael Pragnell and his group of volunteers, operates from 10.30am to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from within the Sweet Surprise cafe itself.

Food Share is run by the Minster’s trainee pioneer priest Tracey Hallett.

She was approached by the charity FareShare which aims to fight hunger by redistributing food which would be dumped by supermarkets.

Now, every Friday night, the waste food is collected from Tesco, stored and refrigerated overnight and on the Saturday is distributed from Sweet Surprise from 10.30am to noon.

Tracey said: “This food is available to anyone who would like it. We do not need any proof of need and do not want to provide any sort of stigma attached to this - it is developing a community enterprise while stopping food from going to waste.

“FoodShare is for everyone, not just those on the poverty line. Many people are just about managing and we want to support those in our community and not have the food just wasted.

“The nice thing is that people are not greedy and they only take what they need.”

If you would like to help by providing food or as a volunteer, contact Tracey on 07854 489753.