Over the last two months, the Different Narrative team has been collecting priority food items for Newcastle West End Foodbank.

We knew that sadly, as the cost-of-living crisis bites, more people would find themselves in the situation of having to approach foodbanks, not only in Newcastle, but in communities across the UK.

That fact alone was concerning enough, but what really shocked us was exactly how much more demand our local food bank is now dealing with. And a stark realisation has become very apparent: your community needs you!

When we delivered our donation to The Food Bank Centre in Benwell Lane this week, we found out that this year in May alone, the team distributed 21,812kg of food to people in need – a staggering year-on-year increase of 6,204kg.

Newcastle West End Foodbank has recently been designated as a Foodbank Plus in recognition of the work its team of over 80 volunteers is undertaking across Newcastle and Tyneside. It was also recently given a ‘City of Sanctuary’ award, which rewards good practice and progress within a sector, while encouraging other organisations to do the same.

The first foodbank in the UK to receive this award, Newcastle West End Foodbank was hailed as an example in meeting the criteria of learning, embedding and sharing visions around supporting those who are seeking sanctuary.

More than 10 tonnes of food items are donated to the foodbank every month, but there is a very sobering fact in knowing that demand for that food is seeing almost 20 tonnes of items being distributed in the same period.

And that makes it more important than ever for our community to act together.

Whilst the foodbank volunteers warmly welcome donations of any kind, they currently have a shopping list of priority items which are in high demand and which they’re desperately short of. These include:

• Soup • Tinned fish • Cereal • Tinned fruit • Instant mash • Long-life milk • Tea • Coffee • Rice

As well as its Benwell Lane base, Newcastle West End Foodbank also has sites in Bede, Lemington, Galafield, Heaton Baptist Church, St Silas, Building Futures East, and Denton, should you wish to make a donation.

Your help will be very much appreciated.