ALTHOUGH the festive season has ended, demand for food donations has not. Many families continue to struggle, and Monmouth Food Bank offers a service to help those in hardship.

Supermarket donations from January 1 to April 14 this year were 2,119kg, over the same period last year there were 2,412kg, a 12 per cent reduction.

Monmouth Food Bank provides a vital service to help those living in Monmouth and the surrounding area in crisis. The food bank was started 30 years ago by Churches Together in Monmouth group and with the support of the Trussell Trust, has been running ever since.

Referrals are sent in from various agencies, the food bank will contact the recipient and book them in for a Friday morning.

Manager at Monmouth Food Bank, Martin Howlett, said: “There’s a perception that people think they can walk in the food bank and get food whenever they want, that’s not the case people come to us when they are in hardship and need help.”

“Nobody ever thinks that they’re going to need a food bank and they don’t come here because they are short of food, they come here because they are short of money and there can be lots of reasons for that.

“We had a lady a few weeks ago who had a voucher, she was referred by her case worker and she rang our help line and said, I am standing outside the church, but I just can’t walk through the door.

“Coming to the food bank can be anxious times for people. They can be embarrassed, ashamed, and worried about the reception they might receive, so our job here is to welcome people.”

The food bank make people feel welcomed, providing an opportunity where people can speak to volunteers who offer advice and can refer them to agencies who might be able to help them with other ongoing issues.

“As a food bank we saw a 26 per cent reduction in the food donations at supermarkets over the last two years and that’s understandable because of the cost of living pressures that everybody is going through but also its lack of awareness of the fact that the food bank is here to help people when they need it,” added Martin.

Monmouth Food bank is a voluntary organisation made up of 36 volunteers, nobody is paid and they rely solely on the support to help people.

In December 2025, they supplied 95 emergency food parcels for 72 adults and 23 children at a similar level to the year before.

They provided Christmas parcels for 49 households, which were from recommendations from their referral agencies and some of the local primary schools that gave Christmas food items to 68 adults and 78 children.

From the first Sunday in January to April 14, they gave 127 emergency food parcels out which have provided food to 193 adults and for 83 children.

Monmouth Food Bank has helped people over the years and they continue to help as many people as they can who are experiencing hardship.