FOR many people Christmas is traditionally a period of abundance, indulgence and celebration, however for many it can be a bleak and desperate time.

Now, in the run up to the festive period, more and more people are struggling to manage, and a Caernarfon foodbank is now offering mental health support for those in crisis.

The help has been introduced to coincide with the new benefit, Universal Credit, imminently being rolled out in Gwynedd.

The support is aimed at helping the vulnerable and the increasing number of people being referred for emergency food supplies.

The Bangor-based Abbey Road Centre mental health service is now providing a weekly, targeted, outreach service at the Arfon Community Foodbank, at Canolfan Gwryfai, on th Cibyn Industrial Estate.

The service, funded by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Gwynedd Council, helps people coping with mental health pressures associated with debt, benefit changes, homelessness or drug and alcohol dependency.

As well as attending the Arfon Community Foodbank, outreach sessions are being held for the homeless in Arfon and Anglesey.

Since it opened in 2012, the Arfon foodbank has seen demand for emergency food supplies rise year-on-year, with a 10% increase in the last year alone.

Abbey Road Outreach Worker Elaine Ginnelly says the problems faced by many of the people attending foodbanks are being exacerbated by ‘huge pressure.’

She said: “We’ve recently started taking our services out into the community, rather than waiting for people to come to us, and we’re now reaching far more people.

Many of the people we support don’t have a diagnosed mental health condition, but are struggling with problems including debt or benefit changes, which can be made worse by the huge pressures around Christmas.

“By being on hand in the foodbank we can offer advice, support and signposting to other services in the community that can help them. Just giving people space and time to talk and unburden themselves can make all the difference.”

Trussell Trust Foodbanks provide a minimum of three days’ food donated by the local community to those in need in times of crisis.

Last year the Arfon Community Foodbank provided emergency food supplies for 2,302 people in the North Gwynedd area, including 920 children.

It is run by volunteers led by Arwel Jones and his wife Lowri, a retired nurse.

Mr Jones said: "The people who attend the foodbank can often have complex needs.”

“We often sense when there is more going on than just difficulty feeding themselves, so to have somebody from Abbey Road at the foodbank means that they can gain access to the additional support they need.”

While Christmas is a busy time of year for the foodbank, the imminent rollout of Universal Credit in Gwynedd during December is expected to lead to an additional surge in demand.

“Trussell Trust Foodbanks in Universal Credit rollout areas across the UK have seen an average increase of 30% in demand so we are braced for more referrals” Mr Jones added.

The Arfon Foodbank is looking for more support through volunteering and donating produce and money.

“We would like to thank the general public for the incredible generosity they have shown over the past few weeks. Anybody wishing to donate food, money or volunteer their time to support the foodbank can find out more about how to do so on our website.”

For further information on the Arfon Community Foodbank please visit: https://arfon.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/

For further information on the Abbey Road Centre please visit https://www.abbeyroadcentre.co.uk/