![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/fr-alex-frost-helps-struggling-community-on-frontline-of-cost-of-living-crisis/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/0_SANPICS_FOOD-07.jpg&description=Exclusive: Father Alex, who appeared on a BBC documentary about the impact of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, opened up a foodbank in his church car parkFather Alex Frost with some of his parishionersSet back from a busy main road and surrounded by autumnal trees, Father Alex Frost's church is a welcoming haven from the stresses of modern life. But just a stone's throw away from his quaint St Matthew the Apostle's Church are families bearing the full brunt of Britain's cost-of-living crisis. As those in his community of Burnley - the Lancashire market town with the highest rate of inflation in England - struggle with addiction, domestic abuse and mental health problems, people like Father Alex have been forced to step in as the Government fails to help those most in need. Father-of-three Alex, 53, even set up his own foodbank in the church's car park over the pandemic to ensure families had enough to eat. "Foodbanks are only supposed to be a temporary solution, but now they are more common in Burnley than supermarkets," he says. His church was handing out up to 70 bags of shopping to families every week for 18 months before he went into partnership with the local Community Grocery, which allows people in need to pick up a bag of shopping for just £4. Father Alex set up a foodbank in his church car park St Matthew's provides up to 20 vouchers for the grocery every week, which manager Daniella Steenbergen, 30, says had to increase opening times from two to three days a week to meet demand. 'We've definitely seen an increase in need both here and at the foodbank next door,' she says. 'We are a stepping stone for families using foodbanks who want to get back to shopping in the supermarket. But at the moment for many people that seems impossible.' Daniella Steenbergen, manager of the Community Grocery An August report by the Centre for Cities think tank revealed that people in Burnley have been harder hit by the energy crisis because of high poverty levels, poor){kind=link}
Father Alex, who appeared on a BBC documentary about the impact of the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, opened up a foodbank in his church car park
Set back from a busy main road and surrounded by autumnal trees, Father Alex Frost’s church is a welcoming haven from the stresses of modern life.
But just a stone’s throw away from his quaint St Matthew the Apostle’s Church are families bearing the full brunt of Britain’s cost-of-living crisis.
As those in his community of Burnley – the Lancashire market town with the highest rate of inflation in England – struggle with addiction, domestic abuse and mental health problems, people like Father Alex have been forced to step in as the Government fails to help those most in need.
Father-of-three Alex, 53, even set up his own foodbank in the church’s car park over the pandemic to ensure families had enough to eat.