The South’s Green MEP, Keith Taylor, visited the Isle of Wight Foodbank yesterday (Friday).
Mr Taylor, alongside Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, visited one of the foodbank drop ins at The Church on the Roundabout in Newport before heading to the charity’s HQ in Love Lane, Cowes.
They also visited a solar farm on the outskirts of Arreton.
The MEP said ahead of his visit:
“The Isle of Wight Foodbank is a lifeline to those in need but, at the same time, a stain on the government’s record on poverty.
“I cannot praise the work of foodbank staff and volunteers enough, they are doing a great service to their community. But the fact is that nobody in the sixth largest economy in the world should be in such poverty that they rely on food handouts.”
According to a report by Barnados 23% of children living on the Isle of Wight are living in Poverty. The Island’s food bank has seen year on year increases in the number of people needing to use its services since 2011.
Recent figures show that the Isle of Wight Food Bank is helping in excess of 125 islanders per week with almost half of those being children and according to Citizens Advice, the number of people on the Isle of Wight seeking help because of benefits sanctions rose 120% last year.
The Isle of Wight foodbank provides emergency food and support to local people in crisis. This is achieved through the public donating food either at Collection Points or Supermarket Collections. Food is then sorted and distributed to the Distribution Centres.
