FOODBANKS are on a watching brief as supplies fluctuate and supermarkets are emptied.

The Trussel Trust, which has food donation points banks in Marlborough, Chippenham and Devizes, is asking for more donations.

The bulk of donations come from supermarkets, with the Trust reporting that after a dip in supplies last week, things this week have bounced back. But they still need donations.

Waitrose is partnered with the Trussell Trust where there is a permanent collection point in the store in Marlborough.

“At the moment our food stocks are ok and donations from the supermarkets yesterday were more or less the same as normal,” said Liz Starling, project manager for the Devizes and District Foodbank.

“We do have some shortages which we have advertised on our website and on Facebook.

“We’re still supporting people with emergency food at our centres – it’s hard for us to say how things will unfold in the coming weeks, but we will continue to provide help wherever possible.

“In the meantime, we are asking people to continue donating vital food supplies,” she said.

The Trust is particularly in need of the following items: tinned/long life sponge puddings, instant mash potato, tinned ham, tinned potatoes, carrots, broad beans, tea bags, soap, breakfast cereal - and they have added toilet roll to the list.

The foodbank website is devizesdistrict.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/

Donation points are:

Waitrose, High Street, Marlborough.

Tesco, Marlborough Business Park, Salisbury Road, Marlborough,

Morrisons, Estcourt Street, Devizes.

Sainsburys, 3 Monday Market Street, Devizes.

Waitrose, Unit 32 Borough Parade, Chippenham.

Many of the churches in the Devizes, Marlborough and Pewsey areas also have collection points.

Meanwhile, Iceland in Chippenham has announced that it will be opening its doors for the elderly on Wednesdays between 7.30am and 9.30am to help the less able and more vulnerable to get supplies.

Both Waitrose and Tesco in Marlborough, and further afield in Hungerford have been depleted as people stock up.

Aldi has announced that stores across the UK remain open, and have introduced new measures to customers limiting them to four units on all products.

Commentary on the Gazette and Herald’s website about the issue of stock piling is unforgiving.

Mrs Doreen Gertrude’s comment is one of around 200 on the theme:

“This is survival of the fittest time unfortunately. Idiots can stock pile as much as they like but that wont save them from this virus. When the grim reaper comes knocking there is nothing you can do about it..... The universe is fed up of seeing greedy people only thinking about themselves.”