VOLUNTEERS at Bridgwater Foodbank are urging people to continue donating throughout 2015 after the centre has seen a dramatic increase in the number of referrals.

Phil Jarman, project manager, said it is vitally important that they continue receiving donations after a 55% rise in the number of people requiring emergency food rations since Christmas.

He said: “We’ve seen a big increase in the number of people coming through our doors.

“People have the same problems now that they do over Christmas such as benefits being frozen, but now a lot of people on zero-hour contracts and those in part-time work have had their hours cut after Christmas so they are struggling.

“We really need people to continue to donate because if they stop these people will have nowhere to turn.”

Mr Jarman is also concerned that anyone wanting to donate may be put off following the news of con artists in Bridgwater claiming to be collecting on behalf of the foodbank as reported in the Mercury earlier this month.

Speaking about the reports of con-artists he said: “Our volunteers do not collect door to door and if we are out and about, usually in the foyers of local supermarkets, we will always have our green uniforms on.

“I just hope that these people that are knocking on doors pretending to be from the foodbank don’t put people off.”

The Bridgwater foodbank is located at Mount Street Day Centre, to the right of the cinema, behind Bridgwater Ford.

Anyone wishing to make a donation or to volunteer can drop in at the Foodbank or email recruitment@ymca.sc.org