TWO Unite the Union branches covering Somerset and North Devon have joined forces to help 16 food banks in the run-up to Christmas.

The Somerset & North Devon Unite Community and the Unite Taunton Retired Members' branch are jointly donating £1,600 to the community organisations. 

The unions are made up of people who are not currently in work including those who are volunteers, carers, disabled or retired.

The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN), which supports independent food banks across the UK, is reporting increased demand this year amid the cost-of-living crisis. 

Volunteers' concerns about meeting demand has prompted the unions to support the cause as they say they “simply cannot sit back and do nothing”.

Andy Mitchell, chair of the Somerset & Devon Unite Community, said: “Food banks are really struggling this year because of increased demand and rising costs due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“Rising inflation has made it even harder for people who have been hit hard by high inflation and rocketing energy bills and many basic food items have gone up in price dramatically this year.

“Families who used to donate need help themselves, so donations to food banks have dwindled.

“It is shameful that food banks are needed in such a wealthy country but, for millions of families, work does not pay enough to cover food and bills.

“To make matters worse, families who rely on Universal Credit are falling foul of increasing benefit sanctions and other benefit cuts, making foodbanks a necessity.

“Food banks will not solve the problem of poverty. We’d all like to live in a society where food, baby and warm banks are not needed but, while they exist, we must do what we can to support them.

“We owe the volunteers who run these organisations a great deal of gratitude.

“And while foodbanks do their important work, our trade unions will continue to fight for better wages and conditions for all workers, so please continue to support them too.”