How do we define our success as a jurisdiction? Is it all about our GDP? Or is it also about things like making sure all our citizens get at least one square meal a day?

According to the Isle of Man Foodbank we may appear to be a wealthy and successful little island but there are still a lot of people living here who are ’just one pay cheque or one social security cheque away from being in crisis’.

Jane Foxon from the charity explains: ’Quite often you’ll find that people are getting along OK but with nothing to spare.

’Then something happens, like maybe someone’s made redundant, or somebody’s ill, or there’s some unexpected bill. Or they may have got behind with rent or utility bills.

’If we can put food on the table and release some funds to pay the bill, it just gives them breathing space to sort out what underlying problems there are.’

Neal adds: ’We don’t deal with people long term, we’re just there to help them over a hump.

’We set out from the start to make sure people didn’t become dependent on us.

’We monitor the statistics and all the figures show that the majority of people will only require between four and six food parcels (four to six weeks) and in that time their problems will have been resolved.’

Isle of Man Foodbank was launched in November 2014 and in 2015 provided around 120 food parcels to individuals and families around the island. It’s been roughly doubling each year ever since and they are on course this year to provide 1,000.

They work closely with other organisations to identfiy people in need and distribute the food. These include Housing Matters, the charity for the homeless, and the Salvation Army who help distribute the food parcels.

In the south of the island a dedicated team of volunteers take calls and arrange the distribution and they are hoping to set up a similar outlet in the north.

Neal says: ’We have also been working with Probation Services to see if we could help reduce the instance of shoplifting of food.

’We now have food boxes placed in Tromode House, their HQ, and probation officers can say to people: "You don’t have to shoplift: if you need food you can come in here and get it".’

He goes on: ’We’ll meet people who are in crisis at Housing Matters where we’ll draw up a problem solving plan as to why they’re in crisis. The role of the food is to act as a bridge through to independence.’

If people are still receiving help after about six weeks they go through an assessment: ’If they turn up in a taxi the following week to collect the food - and it has happened occasionally - we know they are making poor choices,’ adds Neal.

People who come to the Foodbank usually have issues around fuel poverty and Neal maintains that a large proportion of fuel debt is generated, not because people are trying to keep warm, but because they’re trying to keep dry.

He says: ’I’ve seen black mould on the beds and on pillows and the children were off sick with respiratory problems.

’We can go in and put a box of food on the table but what we’ve discovered is that if people don’t have the facilities to process that food then it’s not going to be used to its full benefit. Not everybody who comes for help has a kitchen, and pots and pans for cooking, especially in bedsits where they often only have a microwave, or even just a kettle.’

As is so often the case on the island, the generosity of the Manx public is a major factor in providing help.

Jane says: ’They are the chief contributors to the Foodbank. We have a collection at Christmas for three days and that’s where we get the majority of food that we use throughout the year.’

They also collect food near its sell-by date from the island’s large food retailers including M&S and Tesco. Ramsey Co-op and Tynwald Mills Deli also donate food; Isle of Man Creamery gives a box of cheese once a month, and Robinson’s have been trialling donating several boxes of fresh fruit and veg each week.

They are hoping that publicity from ’Foodbank Fortnight’, which launches next week, will help to increase support.

They are, for example, fundraising for money to buy some large fridges and freezers which would enable them to take chilled food near its sell-by date from the supermarkets.

They are also seeking suitable premises in Douglas in which they might keep them.

Jane adds: ’The ongoing need for food is always there and we could also do with a few more volunteers.’

If you would like to help you can contact Isle of Man Foodbank by email at [email protected] or by phone on 311550.

’If they turn up in a taxi to collect the food - and it has happened occasionally - we know they are making poor choices’