MALVERN Hills Food Bank provided 20 per cent more aid at the end of last year than at the same time the previous year.

According to figures just released by organisers of the Spring Lane-based facility, it processed 106 vouchers and provided 282 food parcels in December 2018.

The figures for December 2017 were 88 and 239, meaning that the food bank redeemed 20 per cent more vouchers and provided 18 per cent more parcels in 2018.

For 2018 as a whole, the food bank processed 13 per cent more vouchers, 736 against 651, and provided 12 per cent more parcels, 1,685 against 1,500, than in 2017.

Dot Hayes, from the food bank, said: “There are just more people struggling now, for various reasons, and they are by no means all people who are out of work.”

She said that there had been a partial reprieve with the halting of the roll-out of universal credit in Worcestershire, which had been due to come in this year.

“We were very much anticipating an upsurge in the numbers of people seeking help, but since it was stopped, that hasn’t happened, which we are very thankful for.

“But that doesn’t alter the fact that the trend is still upwards, and we are grateful to all the people who continue to give generously to make sure we have enough food to distribute.”

A list of items that are needed is available on malvernhills.foodbank.org.uk and on its Facebook page.

Collection points in Malvern include Waitrose, Co-op in the Link and Just So in Barnards Green.