Cost of living crisis: Fermanagh food banks see clients increase

John Shades, who runs Enniskillen Food Bank, has seen an increase of people using the service since the end of February.

“We have seen an increase. Our food bank runs seven different sessions per week. We’re in Enniskillen three times a week, Newtownbutler on a Tuesday, we’re in Derrygonnelly and Belleek on a Wednesday, and Irvinestown on a Friday.

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“Because we are going to all these outlying areas, we are seeing more people, but what we’re hearing all the time is [it’s because of] the price of oil,” said John.

He went on to explain that due to the surge in oil prices, for some food bank clients, it has been a case of “heat or eat”.

John Shades, Food Bank Manager, Enniskillen. Photo: John McVitty

“That’s where people are at,” he said. “We’re seeing more and more people who are in employment coming [to us], people who just cannot afford to make ends meet,” he added, noting that people can access the food bank by being referred through charities and agencies, or they can self-refer.

With the increase of clients, and number of sessions the food bank hosts a week, John noted that they are running low on certain stock.

“It must be over two years since we put out a call for tea bags, but we’ve put a call-out on Facebook this week, asking for tea bags, long-life milk, and tinned peas.

“The other thing we’ve been running out of a lot is coffee, but more important than that is tinned meat products. We have never been so short on them, ever.”

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However, he praised the support of the local community. “The people of Fermanagh are incredible. They’ve always been good, but since the pandemic hit at first, they went above and beyond – they’ve been ridiculously good.

“The community did donate a lot of money, especially over the lockdown periods, and we were able to buy in a lot of stock,” he told this newspaper.

Over in Lisnaskea, Val Irvine, who runs the food bank, The Pantry at The Cornerstone, has also seen an increase in clients.

“Honestly, I would say we are going back to before Christmas,” said Val, of when she started to see an influx.

Val Irvine, in the Pantry, Food Bank at The Cornerstone in Lisnaskea. Photo: John McVitty

“This just didn’t land on people’s laps all of a sudden. This has been a gradual build-up of price increases,” she said.

She went on to explain that she received a call earlier that day from a prospective food bank client. “She is living on her pension, she is trying to keep her car on the road, she tries to buy coal for her fire, she needs heating, her house insurance, her rates – these are her general outlays, but she’s not making it.

“She is a grandmother; she has grandchildren and, as we all do, she likes to give to her grandchildren, but is now finding the pinch, so she rang to see what was the format of the food bank. This is so sad – this is the reality out here,” said Val, noting that those who require support from the food bank can drop in to The Pantry at The Cornerstone on a Tuesday from 10am to 2pm.

Even with the increase in the number of clients, Val noted that The Pantry has never been without food or essential supplies.

“We are supplied by schools, churches, individuals. I always say, and it is scripture, ‘God will always provide’, and He has over the past eight years of the whole thing running.

“We have never, ever been without food or toiletries,” she said, adding: “The price increase has been unbelievable, but we have never, ever been without. I can say, hand on heart, this is what it was like eight years ago when it was announced that we were in a recession, but this time I don’t even know how the economy is going to cope with this, because nobody is getting an increase in wages,” she told this newspaper.