Okehampton foodbank sees unprecedented rise in demand amid cost-of-living crisis

With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of easing, food banks across the country are facing unprecedented demand. 

The Moorlander set out to investigate how local food banks are coping and what this means for the community. 

We reached out to Okehampton Foodbank and spoke with Malcolm Hamilton, the coordinator, who shared a firsthand account of the challenges they are facing and the increasing need for their support.

Okehampton Foodbank continues to serve as a vital lifeline for individuals and families facing increasingly difficult circumstances. 

As the cost of living crisis deepens, more people in our town are struggling to afford the basics, nutritious food, hygiene essentials, and household items, than at any point since we began our work in 2008.

The year 2024 was our most demanding yet. 

We saw an unprecedented 94 per cent increase in people asking for help compared to the previous year. 

In 2023, we provided 2,902 parcels, already a 34 per cent rise on 2022. 

For the period 2023 to 2024 numbers increased by 94 per cent.

That steep upward trend reflected the broader reality: as household incomes failed to keep pace with soaring costs, people turned to us in record numbers.

The crisis was exacerbated by food inflation rising by 23 per cent for basic food commodities compared with the previous year, alongside a significant fall in both food and financial donations. 

Many of our loyal supporters were themselves feeling the pinch, and donations fell just as demand peaked. 

At one point, we were spending up to £900 a week on food to fill the gap in donations received.

We also saw new challenges as refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan arrived needing urgent support. 

This additional demand stretched our team of dedicated volunteers to their limits but their commitment never wavered.

Heartbreakingly, I’ve spoken to parents who chose to go hungry so their children could eat. These moments underscore why food banks like ours exist not as a handout but as a safety net for people experiencing real and immediate hardship.

In May 2024, Okehampton Foodbank briefly closed due to an unexpected decision by the Baptist Church, which had previously supported our operations. 

While this was a shock to our team and the people we support, we quickly reorganised. Within two weeks, with the same volunteers and renewed determination, we relaunched independently and resumed helping those in need.

As of March 2025, demand has steadied, but the underlying problem remains; income is simply not covering the cost of living. 

Spiralling rents, food price increases and increases to household bills all make life difficult for those in poverty or just above the poverty line. 

We now regularly support families where both adults are working yet still falling short, forced to choose between food, heating, or rent.

Benefits haven’t kept up, and wages aren’t rising fast enough. 

The issue isn’t poor budgeting. 

It’s poverty.

We believe in doing more than the minimum. 

Unlike some food banks that provide a three day emergency bag of food, we offer a full week’s supply of nutritionally balanced food for each family, and we support them for at least a month. 

With referrals from agencies like Citizens Advice, Community Links, housing associations, GPs, and schools, we help for as long as necessary. I

t’s not about fostering dependency; it’s about restoring dignity and stability.

One overlooked aspect of poverty is hygiene poverty, when people can’t afford essentials like soap, toothpaste, period products, or cleaning supplies. 

These items are often forgotten, yet they’re crucial for physical and mental wellbeing. 

We ensure that we always stock hygiene and cleaning products, because living with dignity goes beyond food.

We’re also fortunate to work alongside agencies offering expert support. 

Community Links Okehampton connects clients to housing, mental health, and benefit services are to found in the food bank every Thursday. 

Citizens Advice, based next door at the Ockment Centre, has an adviser stationed at the food bank as well, offering guidance on debt, budgeting, and financial solutions.

Mental health concerns are rising in step with financial stress. 

Many people are in crisis by the time they reach us often skipping meals, living in cold homes, and feeling overwhelmed. 

But there is support. 

We always encourage people to speak with a trained, confidential adviser, just as they would a doctor or mechanic in a different crisis.

In a nation where one in ten adults has no savings, any unexpected cost can push people over the edge. 

Yet amid all this, our community’s generosity continues to shine. 

We couldn’t do this work without you.

We remain committed to helping Okehampton’s most vulnerable residents not with judgement, but with compassion, respect, and practical support. 

For as long as there’s need, we’ll be here.