A NUMBER of local councillors paid a visit to a Liskeard based foodbank last week to take a look at the work the volunteers do for the people of the town.

Cllr Lori Reid and Cllr Tracy Adams, vice chair of Liskeard Town Forum, visited the Trussell Trust Foodbank on the Trevecca Industrial Estate and were introduced to some of it’s volunteers who showed them around the warehouse premises. 

During the visit, the councillors were shown the stock which is donated by  individuals, local organisations, businesses, church groups and supermarket collection point. 

Sharon Sissons, foodbank manager, said: “The foodbank was founded by local community groups in 2010 in Liskeard mainly to provide emergency food to people in crisis as a direct response to the poverty seen in the Liskeard, Looe, Torpoint and Rame areas. 

“It cannot function without help from willing volunteers and kind donations from groups and individuals within our community. 

“Over the years the foodbank, working in partnership with others, has helped an increasing number from 2,000 a year prior to the present cost of living crisis to 4,000 people a year in this area.”

It was reported that Councillor Reid observed that the food bank has no shortage of volunteers. 

Cllr Reid said: “We were impressed by how the whole operation is managed. All products are donated, each is carefully examined by the volunteers to ensure it is within date and sorted into various boxes, bundles or bags according to their designation. Some are put together for families, or as easy-cook meal parcels accompanied with an appropriate recipe, some boxes are packed specifically for children, others are collected into care packages, toiletries and household cleaning kits. Even pets are catered for.

“But what impressed us the most were the volunteers themselves. People with their feet on the ground, experienced and worldly-wise but with hearts filled with compassion.”

When asked how many visits were made to the food bank last year, it was said that the councillors were told that although there were no precise figures at hand, it was believed somewhere up to 4,000.

Cllr Adams added: “I found it very interesting and positive that after all their hard work helping people.

“The statistics were encouraging that, taking into account all the different areas in the region, the percentage of people in real food crisis seems to be less than is generally perceived”.