A foodbank has appealed for people to donate soap and toiletries after it ran out for the first time.
Blackburn foodbank said the donations were “vital to help people get back on their feet” and “give them back their dignity”.
Gill Fourie, its operations manager, said it was important people remembered foodbanks did not just provide food.
“We know that food isn’t actually the issue here, the root cause is that people do not have enough money to live on,” she said.
The foodbank provides about 70 parcels a day, and in January it fed about 1,600 people in Blackburn with Darwen.
Mrs Fourie said the last time donations kept up with demand was “before the coronavirus pandemic”.
She said shampoo, soap and toothpaste were “always needed”.
“There is nothing worse than feeling a bit grotty and horrible. Actually making yourself clean does a lot for mental health, so we do try and provide the basic toiletries.
“We do not need a fancy body wash,…
