The country’s biggest network of foodbanks charges volunteers £1,500 to hand out free food in its name, it emerged yesterday. The Trussell Trust asks for the ‘donation’ from churches and community groups which open new foodbanks. The money, volunteers are told, is needed to pay for the Trust’s staff, branding materials, PR advice and relationships with supermarkets such as Tesco. Setting up costs: Trussell Trust asks for a 'donation' of £1,500 from churches and community groups . But the hefty bill has come under scrutiny following controversy over the false Trussell Trust claim that it fed more than a million hungry people last year. In fact, the one million figure was the number of food parcels handed out – so did not account for repeat visitors. One critic accused the network – which charges foodbanks £360 for each subsequent year after the initial fee – of taking money that could be used to pay for food. The Trust, which has links with the Church of England, hands out parcels containing three days’ worth of donated food to people referred by doctors, social workers and other agencies. The number of Trussell Trust foodbanks has risen eight-fold in just five years, to 445. Its most recent accounts show an annual income of nearly £3.4million. A pitch to prospective volunteers says: ‘We’ll provide you with all the tools, training and know-how that you need to start a foodbank so that people in crisis in your town don’t have to go hungry.’ They are told they will be given a website, publicity materials and ‘opportunities to talk to the Press’ among other benefits. The Trust says: ‘Foodbanks are asked to make a £1,500 donation towards these costs.’ PR and branding: Critics accuse the charity of taking money which could be better spent on food . But the charge has sparked criticism from other charities and community groups. One foodbank volunteer leader said he saw ‘no benefit paying £1,500 upfront to TT which could be used to buy food’. Last night, Trust chief executive David McAuley said: ‘The cost to the Trussell Trust of helping to start a new foodbank is higher than the contribution that the foodbank makes.’ He said last year the Trust gave its volunteers ‘cash grants and in-kind goods which totalled double the amount that foodbanks contributed financially’.
Trussell Trust asks for 'donation' from churches and community groups . It then charges £360 per year from each group running Trust food banks . Critics accuse the charity of taking money which could be spent on food . But Trust said ‘cash grants and in-kind goods' were double the donation .