A foodbank supporting more than 5,000 people a year in Witney and West Oxfordshire says it now has to buy 40 per cent of the food it distributes, compared with two per cent before the pandemic.
Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank said the change reflects growing pressure on donations and demand, and has led it to partner with a local business to help stretch its budget.
The charity has teamed up with M&M Zero, a zero-emission waste collection service based in Cassington, which will provide one of its vans each week so volunteers can collect supermarket purchases and transport them back to the foodbank’s base at Cottsway House.
Maria Grindley, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank, said access to a van will help the charity maximise what it can buy by enabling volunteers to shop around.
“Price watching is critical,” she said. “By purchasing items at the lowest rate, we’re able to support more individuals and families with nutritionally balanced emergency food packages.
“Transport has always been another barrier. Without a sufficient amount of space to load the food we order, we encounter additional time and cost expense for the charity and our volunteers.
“It’s why we’re so grateful to The M&M Group and its M&M Zero vans for supporting the collection and unloading processes for our weekly orders which help to move people in Witney and west Oxfordshire out of food poverty.”
The charity said it only supports people who are referred by professionals, including health and social workers, GPs, schools, other support charities and Citizens Advice, and that clients receive a maximum of six food parcels in six months alongside access to financial advice.
Grindley added:
“Foodbanks are misunderstood.
“Those who believe we provide people with their weekly food shop could not be further from the reality of our operation.
“We work with individuals, couples, working families, the elderly, young people and some who are homeless. There is no typical foodbank client and around a third of the people using foodbanks are working which illustrates the challenging situation a lot of people face.
“Our bolt-on services include linking our clients with advisors from Citizen’s Advice who are experts in helping people to maximise income and minimise debt because in most cases receiving free food packages is not a sustainable solution.
“It’s why we aim to limit the number of packages for our clients. Our driver is to move people out of food poverty, through managed support and expert advice where it is required.”
Matt Wright, Commercial Director at The M&M Group, said the partnership was prompted by the scale of need locally.
“Our headquarters in West Oxfordshire is regarded by many as one of the UK’s most affluent areas.
“The fact Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank worked with more than 5,000 people in 2025 – including 2,200 children – demonstrates there is a food poverty crisis locally… We’re proud to support the charity… and hope this small gesture can make a big difference to those in our community.”
National context: Across the UK, Trussell said 2.9 million emergency food parcels were provided between April 2024 and March 2025, with more than a million of those for children.
More information about Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank is available at www.witney.foodbank.org.uk.
How you can help
- Donate food: The foodbank accepts non-perishable dry and tinned items. Details of what is needed and where to drop off donations are listed on its website.
- Volunteer: The charity recruits volunteers for roles including sorting, packing and helping with distribution and logistics (availability varies).
- Financial support: Donations help the foodbank buy items to complete parcels when donations do not cover demand.
- Need support? The foodbank says it supports people who are referred by local professionals. People can check the referral route and contact details via the foodbank website.
