School holidays sees demand double for Huntingdon food hamper group
But it doesn't want to be the only answer in tackling food poverty
A woman who helps provide free meals to people in Cambridgeshire says services like hers should not be a long-term solution to tackling food poverty.
Diamond Hampers - a community interest company based in Huntingdon - has given out more than 649,000 meals in the last six years, made up from food that would otherwise go to waste.
And as schoolchildren break up for Easter, Lianne Simpson MBE - who runs Diamond Hampers - said demand during any school holiday rises by 50%.
"With each year, we've sadly seen demand increasing; we've always been working towards the end of an organisation like ours because we feel it shouldn't be needed in 2026, but unfortunately, we're seeing quite the opposite," Lianne said.
"We see increases in energy prices, people aren't being paid what they need to be paid, I see both parents working full-time and still struggling because the minimum wage isn't meeting expectations."
Foodbanks 'shouldn't be the answer'
Food parcels made up by volunteers at Diamond Hampers include a range of items, such as fruit and vegetables, which for a family, aim to last one week.
The organisation has helped more than 31,000 people with food parcels since it formed, with up to 25 tonnes in food waste reused in hampers each month.
Figures from the Trussell charity for 2024 found food bank usage across Cambridgeshire has increased since 2017, with Cambridge and Peterborough distributing the most food parcels.
Lianne said she finds it tough to see people struggle, but it's a feeling that motivates her to continue helping others.
Crisis fund
"Food aid provision is, I think, always going to be needed but it shouldn't be an answer," she added.
"Providing emergency provision and support in any way shouldn't be a long-term thing and people need a lot more help to stabilise themselves and their situations going forward."
Locally, the number of food parcels per food bank in the county went up by 154% between 2017 and 2025, higher than for the whole of England at 102.3%.
The Government said local authorities will receive part of the £1 billion from its Crisis and Resilience Fund from this month to help lift families out of poverty.