A NEW foodbank is opening in the Braintree district in an attempt to combat the ongoing cost of living crisis and rise in food poverty.

Braintree Area Foodbank has announced it will be opening a new centre in Sible Hedingham.

The foodbank was set up 11 years ago by the Trussell Trust, and already has four distribution centres - two in Braintree and others in Witham and Halstead.

The Hedingham Baptist Church Foodbank is being opened to help those in more rural communities get access to help and support.

People will be referred through the Braintree Area Foodbank voucher referral system, working with more than 150 agencies.

Braintree Area Foodbank project manager Lee Ranson said: “The Braintree district covers 236 square miles, most of which is rural communities, and we hope that this partnership will allow those who face food poverty within these rural settings to be able to access our services. 

“Food poverty isn’t just a town or city problem, it is a national issue and we know that this service will be in demand

“We would like to thank Hedingham Baptist Church for approaching us and to continue to work to help us to help those within these rural areas who are going without food”.

It comes after the foodbank saw a record number of visitors in 2022, and a 66 per cent increase in the number of emergency food parcels distributed in the last financial year from April 2022, to March 2023.

In total, 9,474 parcels were distributed - 5,182 for adults and 4,292 for children - which is the most the foodbank has ever provided.

This was up from 5,708 in 2021-22 - a massive 66 per cent increase.

The levels of need were particularly acute in winter. In January and February, the foodbank fed 119 per cent more people during those months in 2023 than in the same months in 2022.

Mr Ranson said the 66 per cent increase is “not acceptable” and the foodbank is “working tirelessly to help those who find themselves in the most desperate situations”.

The new centre in Sible Hedingham will be open from May 30 on Tuesday afternoons from 2pm until 4pm.