A COUNCILLOR who volunteers at a food bank has said that "shocking" numbers people from across society have been pushed into food insecurity since the start of the pandemic.

Carl Walker, who represents Selden ward on Worthing Borough Council, helped set up the Worthing Food Foundation at the start of April 2020 after aid groups in the area discovered that many people did not have access to the food they needed, with waits for Universal Credit plunging many into food insecurity.

Cllr Walker said that job losses resulting from the pandemic and the rising cost of living have resulted in more people from a wider demographic seeking support.

He said: “Two or three years ago, you would have had people who are predominantly on low incomes and who are using Universal Credit.

“Since Covid, there's been an awful lot of people using food banks who’ve never used them before.

“People have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic and they’ve got outgoings that are just way more than they can pay for and they’ve had to find themselves using food banks.”

Cllr Walker said that a perfect storm of factors from the pandemic, including an increase in the cost of living, the end of the eviction ban, and the end of a £20 increase per month for Universal Credit, have all come together to push more people into food insecurity.

He said: “The statistics are shocking - if you look at the national statistics, there must be something in the region of 12,000 people in Worthing alone who are living in food insecurity, because it is around ten per cent of the population.”

Cllr Walker explained that many of those in food insecurity do not reach out to food banks for support, due to perceived shame and stigma.

In his effort to support local food banks and destigmatise using their services, Cllr Walker and two of his friends are embarking on a 100 mile cycle to raise money to provide those services with much needed support.

Cllr Walker, along with Kevin Jaggs and Gareth Griffiths begin their round trip cycle between Chichester and Seaford tomorrow (Saturday, March 5), with money going towards the 30 food banks along the 50 mile stretch of the Sussex coast.

The trio aim to raise £30,000 to give £1,000 to each food bank in the area.

Cllr Walker said: “Just before Christmas we saw a 30 per cent increase in the number of people needing support, and it’s not just us at the Worthing Food Foundation - it’s right across the board.

“I know that a couple of food banks are very close to the wall and cannot cope. It’s pretty desperate times, so that’s why we’re trying to raise some money for them.”

People can donate to Cllr Walker’s fundraiser at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/30kfor30foodbanks.