THE number of people in need of crisis packs across Bury is going up.

Radcliffe-based charity Porch Boxes say the number of people who come to them for food boxes and other essentials is getting higher each year.

Porch Boxes support groups such as single parents, families, young people, homeless people and people with addiction by providing weekly food boxes.

The charity is now making its harvest appeal for food donations to gather produce for coming months, as many items will run out soon after Christmas.

Last year, Porch Boxes delivered 5,395 boxes of food, on average 450 per month.

Chairman of the charity, Julia Rowlands, said: “More and more people are finding that they cannot make ends meet.

“Usually agencies contact us to tell us when someone is in need of a crisis pack, however we’re getting more and more people coming directly to us because they’ve been made redundant or they’ve got to wait for weeks before their benefits come in and they haven’t got any spare cash.

“More and more people are finding that food banks are running out of supplies, so we get them coming directly to us.

“Our greatest wish is that eventually we will cease to exist as all people would then have exactly what they need.”

Donated supplies typically come from Places of Worship, collections at some libraries and some supermarkets local businesses and individuals. Many schools take part at harvest time, and the charity hopes that this participation by schools and churches will keep pace with the growing demand.

Porch Boxes has links with local supermarkets who donate food which would otherwise be thrown away. Volunteers ensure that this fresh produce reaches those who need it.

Anyone who wants to donate can do so at the Marketside ASDA in Spring Street, as well as the ASDA stores in Whitefield and Radcliffe. Donations can also be collected. Contact Julia on 07724113035 for more details.