People in the Stratford district are struggling to cope as cost of living crisis deepens

FAMILIES are facing ‘a perfect storm’ including the rocketing cost of living, local charities have warned.

Price hikes in food, fuel and energy are forcing more working people to seek help from Stratford Foodbank.

The charity, based in the Fred Winter Centre on Guild Street, is feeding 400 people a month, up from 325 in January - an increase of almost a quarter.

Stratford Foodbank’s operations manager Zoe Ballinger told the Herald: “We are feeding many more people who are working, as opposed to unemployed.

“Their income is low and they can’t cover all their bills - they just can’t make ends meet because the cost of living has increased so much.”