Burnley Food Bank to triple in size

A Burnley food bank feeding hundreds of families could be set for a huge expansion to cope with demand.
Food Bank. Photo: David Jones/PA WireFood Bank. Photo: David Jones/PA Wire
Food Bank. Photo: David Jones/PA Wire

Community Solutions North West already helps around 1,000 people every week with crisis food parcels and lifeline support.

But bosses say demand for food has doubled since last year with more than 500 new referrals from struggling families in February alone.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Plans have now been drawn up to triple the size of the food distribution centre which could help feed hundreds more people and provide a hub to support other food banks in Lancashire.

The proposed centre in Trafalgar Street could also create new jobs and mean the organisation can offer more training, work placement and volunteering chances.

Mark Hirst, manager at Community Solutions North West, said: “There is more demand now than ever and it is increasing month-on-month. The foodbank warehouse distribution will be three times the size as we are bursting at the seams.”

The organisation brings in a lot of food on pallets which would otherwise be sent to landfill. Around 10 fully-loaded pallets come in every month to the food bank’s current Burnley premises.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mark said: “With more space we can take in more pallets and more food. We are a bit of a hub for food banks around the area so if the expansion goes ahead we can get more services and spread it around and share with other food banks.

“We can help more people and partner with more food banks and organisations who distribute food.”

A planning application has been submitted to Burnley Council for a change of use to the premises in Trafalgar Street.

There’s more on this story in Friday’s Express.