Donations help restock foodbank after severe shortages

The CEO of Coventry Foodbank has said the support of local communities has meant they have enough resources to continue helping people until September.

Canon Gavin Kibble told the BBC it had been a "torrid time" for the charity, which was set up in 2011. Earlier in the month he issued an urgent plea for donations, as it faced the most severe shortages in its 15-year history.

"If you'd walked around the warehouse about four weeks ago, we had enough food in the warehouse for about two more weeks of supply," he said.

Thanks to food donations and financial contributions, he said the foodbank was "secure through to September".

"Food donations are down, the number of people who are needing the food bank is up, and the gap between food being received and food going out had widened dramatically over the previous few months," he said.

He added that as well as direct donations of food and money, annual charity events like an abseil held on Saturday also made a big difference to keeping the charity going.

The abseil saw 10 people descend 90ft (27.4m) down Coventry Cathedral in aid of the foodbank.

Last year, volunteers who did the challenge on behalf of the charity raised £5,000.

Leanne Friel, from P3 Charity Coventry, which supports people facing eviction and homelessness, said she and three others chose the foodbank because it was important for local people, particularly at Christmas.

"To the people we support, we know how important food is...people are really struggling out there."

"I was very scared at first, but the people really reassured me coming down.

"It wasn't the most elegant abseil, but we're all really proud that we completed it."

Kibble added: "Last year I stood at the top of Coventry Cathedral and wondered what on earth I'd signed up for - and then I stepped off the edge.

"That terrifying moment of taking a leap of faith raised vital funds for people facing food crisis, and I wouldn't change a thing."

The foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust's network of 428 food banks in the UK.

It partners with care professionals and issues people in crisis a foodbank voucher, which is redeemed at any of their 15 centres across the city.

The vouchers are for three to five days of emergency food, and they are signposted to other organisations who can help them further.

In 2025, the charity fed more than 22,000 people - with more than 7,500 of those being children.

More than 137 tonnes of food was donated, while 140 tonnes was given out.

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