Sandbach Ladies Circle is doing its food collection today (Saturday) to help boost items for residents using Sandbach Pantry which helps with the cost-of-living crisis. 

Sandbach Pantry – for longer term help with the cost-of-living crisis and Sandbach Food Bank – which is for emergency help – have both had their busiest year to date. 

Donations for both are running low and Sandbach Ladies Circle, along with other businesses such as Stephenson Browne in Sandbach have stepped in to help. 

Sandbach Ladies Circle his doing a 'doorstep drive' today collecting donations from residents from 10 am.   

A spokesperson said: "Our group of volunteers will be heading out as part of our doorstep collection drive from 10am. 

"If you can gift any of the items listed, please leave them on your doorstep/driveways in a box or carrier bag. 

"If for any reason we miss collecting from you or you are unable to physically leave items outside then please send us a message directly." 

Sandbach Pantry and Sandbach Food Bank, which work under the umbrella of the Unity Methodist Church, are both based at the Wesley Centre in Wesley Avenue. 

Both Sandbach Pantry and Sandbach Foodbank are based at the Wesley Centre in Sandbach. (Photo: Nub News)

The Foodbank operates for short term emergency help and the Pantry is there for longer term help for people during the cost-of-living crisis by offering discounted food for a very small fee. 

Latest information from Sandbach Food Bank says the annual number of referrals jumped up from a steady 140 during 2019 to around 260 during the Covid pandemic. 

"In 2022, we saw a further jump to around 400 referrals, doubtless due to the cost-of-living increase, and last year our total was 438 referrals.  

"As well as referrals having quadrupled in the last four years, donations (of food and money) have dropped off considerably to the extent that we are having to dip into our reserves to do a weekly big supermarket shop to top up items we are short of."  

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