Foodbank hub set to expand to meet growing demand

A food bank in a Warwickshire town says it has seen demand for its services rise by around 70% since the pandemic.

Stratford-Upon-Avon Foodbank, which is part of the Trussell Trust, is preparing to move to a larger unit within the Precision Business Centre on Masons Road. The building will act as a community hub - housing a warehouse, distribution sessions, and support services under one roof for the first time.

The move from its current base at the Fred Winter Centre is expected to take place by mid-April, with it opening for clients by June 2026.

The new site is hoped to support the expansion of the charity and the rising demand for services across Stratford and surrounding villages.

Recent figures from the Trussell Trust revealed that nationally, 2.6 million food parcels were handed out in 2025. In the UK, this shows a 45% increase compared to figures from 2019.

In Stratford, 5356 parcels were provided, which is up 70% compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Fundraising Officer for Stratford Foodbank, Isla Stroyan, says they believe there are more people in the area not coming for help.

They said: "The tricky thing about lots of parts of Warwickshire is there's lots of rural poverty which can be quite hidden. There still is a great shame and stigma about coming to a food bank and we know that there are people who need our services but who don't come to us, which is a big part of why we wanted this space.

"Last year we provided 5,356 parcels to people in Stratford and the surrounding villages, which is absolutely astronomical to be honest. We really don't want to see that level of need in our town. That's why we're working really hard to reduce the numbers of people that come to us by providing all the extra support that we do.

"Our long-term aim is for nobody to need to use a food bank to survive, so the fact that we are having to expand is sort of testament to the fact that there are still so many people who need our support, and we will be here as long as people need us."

Referring to the new hub, Stroyan said: "It's super exciting in the sense that we're going to be able to give people who come feeling really vulnerable, a space where they can receive that warm welcome and that practical support.

"This helps lift people out of poverty because we recognise that emergency food is just a sticking plaster, and it doesn't really combat the long-term problems that lots of our clients face. We really want to help tackle those so they don't need to use a food bank again."

Huw Cooper, a volunteer with the food bank, said the demand seemed to be just as much in Stratford as anywhere else.

"What I notice as a volunteer is that we quite often see new faces, people that have never needed the food bank before," he said.

"But from struggling with debt and with the rising bills that we're all facing – they need the lifeline that the food bank provides.

"Quite often people say 'I've never done this before', and you know they're very grateful and they're embarrassed sometimes to have to go to a food bank.

"But you know it's the rising cost of essentials, the impact of physical and mental health problems, debts, and sometimes people fleeing domestic violence.

"There's all sorts of reasons why people can end up in a situation where they rely on food banks just to get by."

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