Our Annual Report 2025-26

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the UK is continuing to face, has had a significant impact on the Foodbank. This financial year 2025-2026 the foodbank has provided 3 days of food to 5499 adults and 2275 children. An increase of 294 adults and a decrease of 295 children fed.

We continue to build links with referral agencies; we now have 89 referral agencies with the majority of referrals coming via Fylde Borough Council (1594 out of 4052). Grateful thanks for all the support they have given.

During the year the foodbank provided support for many asylum seekers from a wide range of countries (Eritrea, Yemen, Ethiopia, Iran, Sri Lanka. Syria, Afghanistan and Libya) locating in Fylde.

We continue to welcome and support asylum seekers, though we are now seeing a reduction of 314 visits compared to last year, as many have been successful in their claims, and are now settled in the area, with some continuing to visit our foodbank, but less frequently.

We also helped many Ukrainian families until they managed to begin work or claim benefits. This year we have had 75 referrals, decrease of 68 on the previous year.

Food Distribution

Demand for our foodbank services increases. This financial year food distributed to clients amounted to 55163,48Kgs. (a decrease of 815.67kgs from 2023-2024)

A total of 3494 referral vouchers has been fulfilled across the centres an increase of 267 from 2025-2026.

2366 at St Anne’s,

1095 at Kirkham and

33 at Warton.

A number of emergency parcels were handed directly to local organisations from both centres especially over the Christmas period. These parcels were distributed directly by them.

Due to the cost-of-living crisis the number of visits allowed has remained at six times in a six-month period unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The foodbank does not wish to create a dependency culture. “Low Income” on referral vouchers as the reason for crisis showed that for many there is not enough money for those on low incomes to afford the essentials. However, at Fylde Foodbank we do our best not to turn anyone away if in desperate need.

Relationships

Thank you to our local supermarkets – Booths, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi and the Co-op for their continued support. A total of 8506.35kgs collected from customer in store donation points over the year.

Many local Churches, schools, doctors’ surgeries and business groups regularly help with donations as do the residents of Fylde. A big thank you to everyone who drops a tin or a packet into our in-store donation bins. It is so much appreciated.  Total food donations received in 2025-2026 was 25414.79kg.

Donations remain very generous from the community however this is a decrease of approximately 12% when need for food parcels is steadily increasing. A special mention goes to the URC in St Annes who allow us use of the Annexe for our activities.

St Annes have continued to support iHope after school club with the buying food for their afterschool club.

Yet again this year Kirkham worked with iHope and Fylde Borough Council to collect and give out school uniforms to any families in need, And special thanks must go to the Bobby Ball foundation for their support in this venture which we hope to continue in future years

Volunteers

Fylde Foodbank is a volunteer run organisation. The foodbank has an extraordinary team of volunteers many of whom have been with the foodbank since it’s opening in 2014. Everyone works very hard from inputting data to stacking shelves, packing parcels, and collecting from supermarkets.  To all our volunteers thank you for all you do.

In addition, it would be remiss of us not to highlight the special and superb support from Beaverbrook’s in St Annes and Spencer Clark in Kirkham, who continue to give up their time to assist us in our activities within the Foodbank. A very special thank you to you!

A full version of our Annual Report is available on request.

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