LUDLOW is an established centre for food excellence and this will be demonstrated at the Food Festival in September.

But in a presentation to the annual town meeting, Ruth Davies from the town’s Food Bank and Hannah James from the Festival have reported that too many still struggle to get enough to eat.

Food Insecurity is defined as: Limited access to nutritious food … due to lack of money or other resources.

Ludlow Food Bank and Hands Together Ludlow have been working tirelessly over the last 15 months to combat food insecurity in the town. The need for their services has been exacerbated by the Covid 19-epidemic, but both organisations were already busy beforehand.

In 2020 Ludlow food bank supplied 560 food parcels with enough food to feed 1,202 people, including 441 children. In 2020 Hands Together Ludlow provided 3,585 cooked meals to people who for one reason or another were unable to cook for themselves. This amounts to more than 2,300 kg of waste food saved from landfill.

In the presentation examples were given of those needing help.

These included a lady and her 10 year old son who fled from domestic violence. She was too frightened to leave the house, and her benefits were delayed through lack of ID.

In another case, a single man who had to ask for another food parcel was so depressed that he unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide, leaving himself with multiple fractures.

There was a family with five children. They are suffering from the child benefit cap even though both parents work but with zero hours contracts.

Another person helped was a homeless man who had major mental health problems.

The report said that 10 per cent of children in Ludlow are living below the poverty line. Problems with benefits are the main cause.