WITH its dreaming spires and educational prosperity, on the surface Oxford may appear to be a wealthy city full of people living rich lives. But some of the estates are among the most deprived in the country.

Many people are known to be struggling to feed their families as inflation and the cost of food rapidly increases.

So it’s little wonder that the number of foodbanks has increased drastically, not just in Oxford but across the country.

It is now thought that more than half a million people in the UK use them.

And the number of foodbanks has risen six-fold in the last five years, according to their main organisation, the Trussell Trust, which partners with churches and communities across the country to open new foodbanks. Its goal is for every town to have one.

Here in Oxfordshire, seven foodbanks have been set up since 2008 alone. But according to Jane Benyon, founder of the Oxford Emergency Foodbank, or Community Emergency Foodbank (CEF) many more will be needed in the coming years.

Mrs Benyon, 66, from Bladon, said: “We set up the CEF in 2008. “As a former social worker I knew the need was here. But when I first suggested it many people said: “Not in Oxford, surely?”

CEF operates from St Francis Church in Hollow Way. Doctors and children's centres refer people, and church congregations donate food.

She said: “Last year we fed 120 people a month. Last month we fed over 200, and in the past three months 550, with around 50 per cent being families. “But with the ongoing changes to the benefits system we only expect this to increase.

“If a person’s benefits are changed it can be six weeks before they receive money. And that is a long time if you have mouths to feed.

“I’ve no doubt we will still be here in five years, although hopefully there will be many more foodbanks by then.

“I keep a letter sent to me from a desperate mother-of-six, who came here when she could not afford to feed her children. “It sums up why we started.”

What's in a parcel?

A typical three-day parcel contains: cereal, milk, tea coffee, jam, sugar, a tin of meat and tin of fish, tinned fruit, custard, pasta, pasta sauce and potatoes. Quantities depend on family size.

Group serves up £250k of fresh produce a year

The Oxford Foodbank, unlike others in the county, provides charities with unwanted food collected from shops and wholesalers.

In the past year alone it has given away £250,000 worth of fresh food that would otherwise have gone to landfill.

Co-director Mr Aitken explained: “Our model comes from countries like Germany which have operated sustainable foodbanks for many years.

“Sainsbury’s and Tesco are very supportive. We have great working relationships with wholesalers such as Fresh Direct in Bicester, Chef Direct in Didcot and Booker of Oxford.

“These fresh food providers rely on getting food to their customers in perfect condition – a slightly wilted lettuce, for example, will not be wanted by a chef.

“But we are able to take that perfectly good food and deliver it free to charities like Oxford Homeless Pathways, which can give it to people who need it.”

Lesley Dewhurst, chief executive of Oxford Homeless Pathways said: “We are a charity and cater for about 80 people per day, providing lunch and dinner, so the foodbank’s help is greatly appreciated.”

Oxford foodbank provides 5,000 meals a week to 17 charities and relies solely on volunteers to carry out its work.

Mr Aitken said: “Poor families are not a new thing and I don’t think that food poverty has suddenly increased. I believe the growth of foodbanks is due to people becoming more aware of them. Foodbanks could have been doing a job here for the last 20 or 30 years.”

Oxford Foodbank has also started delivering direct to families via family centres in Rose Hill and Barton in conjunction with the County Council.

Mr Aitken said: “It’s our vision that every city has a foodbank like ours.”

For more details, see oxfordfoodbank.co.uk

Different types of folk get help

SOPHIE Williams, 31, from Oxford, is single and unemployed and uses the Community Emergency Foodbank.

She said: “The first time I came here I was nervous and thought I would be surrounded by the homeless.

“But the volunteers are kind and I was amazed at the different types of people using the foodbank – it seems anyone can find themselves in this situation.

“Each bag lasts about a week. I don’t know what I would have done without this place.”

A mother who knows what hardship means

OXFORDSHIRE West Foodbank started in Witney, in 2012 and has delivered over 300 parcels to needy families.

Last month it gave 39 parcels, its highest amount so far.

Founder, mum-of-four Jo Cypher, 39, pictured, from Bampton said: “It seems unlikely we would need a foodbank in west Oxfordshire in the Prime Minister’s constituency – but we do.

Mrs Cypher knows how it feels to have faced hardship.

She said: “When my first two children were young, my first husband walked out.

“I applied for benefit but had to wait many weeks.

“I was lucky enough to have family who helped me. Without them I would have had to have my boys taken into care.

“Recently I delivered a food parcel to a family and found them living in a relative’s garage.

“They had lost their home when the husband lost his job, but were so grateful.

“I went home to my lovely, comfy home and sobbed.”

For more details, see oxonwestfoodbank.co.uk

Churches founded group

North Oxfordshire Community Foodbank at Kidlington Baptist Church was formed by Christian churches in 2010.

Food is donated and recipients are given a voucher by one of 50 statutory or voluntary agencies.

As with most foodbanks there is a limit of three visits, with food provided in times of crisis, usually until benefits are gained.

Trustee Melvina Fawcett said: “In January to March this year we gave out 119 parcels (an average of 40 a month, up from 32 per month at the end of 2012).”

She added that people in small, rural communities may find it hard to admit that they are struggling to make ends meet.

For more details, see northoxfordshire communityfoodbank.org.uk

Others exist too

There are also foodbanks in Bicester, Thame and Banbury.

Since opening in December 2011, Banbury foodbank (banbury.foodbank.org.uk) has fed 903 adults, 590 children and distributed 11 tonnes of food.

In 2010, Bicester Food Bank (emmanuelbicester.org.uk) gave out 80 food parcels. This rose to 260 in 2011, to 380 in 2012 and it is already averaging 40 a month in 2013.

Thame Food Bank (sharinglifetrust.org/foodbank) fed 150 people last year and has already fed 150 people in five months in 2013.