Leading Staffordshire housebuilder Barratt Homes has donated £1,500 to Lichfield Foodbank as part of its Community Fund scheme.

Based in Lichfield, close to the housebuilder’s Fradley Manor development, the foodbank has been operating since 2014 and, in the eight years it has been open, has distributed the equivalent of 840,000 meals.

The donation was made as part of the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.

The foodbank has seen an 80% increase in the number of clients when comparing 2022 so far with the same period in 2021, which can be linked to the aftermath of the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis. The Office for National Statistics states that 94% of adults surveyed have seen an increase in the price of their average food shop.

Jane Hare, Secretary at Lichfield Foodbank, said: “Our aim is that no-one in the area is to go hungry and, in the longer term, making Lichfield a city without the need for a foodbank. There are collection points throughout the city and surrounding areas, and we hold collections at local supermarkets. We also receive generous donations throughout the year with special efforts for Harvest and Christmas.

“The foodbank is run entirely by volunteers who look after clients in the foodbank centres, including preparing and handing out bags of food geared to the size of the family and also some vouchers for fresh bread, fruit and vegetables.

“They also work in the warehouse, drive goods between collection points and the warehouse, deliver to the distribution centres, and also look after the governance and administration involved in running our complex organisation efficiently.”

Clients at Lichfield Foodbank are referred via a voucher supplied by a number of agencies in the area that aim to help local people who are enduring a food crisis.

The foodbank itself has three distribution centres at Curborough Community Centre on Reynolds Close, Life Church in Netherstowe and Wade St Church in Lichfield. The vouchers can be exchanged at any of these centres for a carefully selected package of non-perishable food – tins, dried goods, long life milk and juice – sufficient to provide at least three days food.

Jane added: “We are very grateful to Barratt Homes for the donation. We are now routinely feeding between 150 and 200 clients each week and we will use the donation to ensure that we can continue to provide food for all who come to us needing it.”

Adrian Evans, Managing Director at Barratt Homes West Midlands, said: “As a five star housebuilder, we like to lead the way, not only in the homes that we build but in the support and contributions to the local communities in which we build.

“Lichfield Foodbank is doing a fantastic job in providing for the local community in such stressful and uncertain times and we’re delighted that we have been able to help them.

“We implore all who are able to offer their support, whether through donations or giving up time to perform some volunteer work.”