04/06/2013 BBC Channel Islands News

The hidden hungry - demand for food handouts soars as islanders battle

through recession. People are struggling. There's a lot of people

out of work. Prospects aren't brilliant.

But do we all pay too much at the checkout? The competition watchdog

launches an investigation. And a lifeline for a struggling

sports club - as the Premier League A food bank in Jersey has handed out

double the amount of free food already this year than it did in the

same period two years ago. The Grace Trust is blaming unemployment and

difficult economic times for the rise. It comes after it was revealed

that more than 500,000 people in the UK may rely on food banks. Amy

Harris reports. Cans, cartons and packets - safely

stored for those who can't afford to eat. This is Jersey's only food

bank, run by the Grace Trust, a charity that helps the poor and

needy. They've been handing out free food here for four years and bosses

say demand has never been so high. People are struggling, there's a lot

of people out of work, prospects aren't brilliant. We see people

coming in here who maybe a year ago they had a job, they had a flat,

they had everything going and then slowly they lose a few things and

before they know where they are they're in here asking for food in

Jersey. This year so far they've handed out

267 bags of food, over double that in the first half of 2011. And next

door, the Salvation Army are also giving out emergency supplies. These

food parcels contain basics that can keep people going for up to four

days. And demand is varied but at peak

times up to ten people a week come forward here to claim one. It

demonstrates, say bosses, that Jersey isn't immune from poverty.

Jersey we have a full mix of everybody, there are all sorts of

needs, there are all sorts of difficulties, we have the full remit

here. But the Government says help is there. Although the income

support system only assists those who have lived in the island for at

least five years, the minister says it should be enough. The benefits

system we have is looking after peoples needs, obviously people

would always like more but we have to be mindful of the tax payers

contribution. What I don't know, and we've heard about pensioners needing

to go for food parcels why they would not be in a position to not be

able to live on the income support and the pension they receive.

it's a problem that's not going away. Social security has suggested

using government money to help fund these charities, but for now,

they're alone to provide the heaps of baked beans and pasta constantly

being taken away. A 42-year-old man charged with fire

arms offences in Jersey will appear before the Royal Court on the 16th

views as it carries out a review on grocery prices. Does grocery

shopping in the Channel Islands make your wallet wins? It is very

expensive. We are lucky to get it. It has got to come across so we've

got to pay for it. I don't think it is all that bad. You get special

offers all the time. Shopping in England is a lot cheaper than here.

But you pay for other things in England, don't you? Taxes are

higher. I think it's overpriced. Races compared with the UK can vary.

campaigning against. The islands don't pay VAT so some of those

products have to be deducted before they are arriving. We then increased

some of those by the cost of distribution. Whether we add GST to

them in Jersey. Whether they are pre-pasted the UK. That all impacts

the final price. That is why the competition watchdog has been doing

a detailed investigation to find out of what we are paying is justified.

Having talked to retailers about the differences in the prices they

charge, we would also like to talk to consumers about their perception

of grocery retailing in the Channel Islands, about where they shop, when

the shop. It would give us a better picture of competition. Howard made

to made to work better. At online survey is open until the 1st of July

and the results are due to be published in October. The

42-year-old man charged with firearms offences -- firearms

offences will appear before the Royal Court in July.

Magistrate Bridget Shaw told the court that the charges against

Antonio De Sousa Capontes, from Madeira, were too serious for the

Magistrates' Court to deal with. Mr Capontes has been charged with two

firearms offences and two counts of grave and criminal assault. Armed

police, dog handlers and negotiators were sent to St Saviour on Sunday

night after reports a man was making will be taken into account when

deciding if and how much a student gets in a grant from the Government.

Guernsey's government has decided, defended its decision to employ a

Jersey company. The Environment Department says the contract was

chosen because it was the only firm able to fix the structure before the

winter storms hit. A rundown football ground has been saved by a

grant from the English Premier League. The Jersey football

Association has been given a thousand �500 to bring its

facilities up to standard. This is dangerous. Recent snow and

strong winds have taken their toll but this ground in a rural Jersey

parish has been deteriorating for years. �12,000 is needed to put it

right and without this grant it may have had to close for good. Some

pitches have been lost. Saint Martins played at the school that is

gone. From a football point of view, it is important that we keep this

and to the best possible standards so that people can come and play

football here. There are a couple of big holes. The idea is to improve

the game at the grass roots level. But much needs to be done before the

community can use it. New fences will be put up, weeds ripped out and

the car park resurfaced. And some of the �8,500 will also be used to

renovate the clubhouse. Welcome news for the team that rents it. This is

our 40th anniversary and we are one of the youngest clubs on the island.

In that time, we have won some owners in the game locally. It is

important really because we are going through a phase where we need

to rebuild to have, as it were, a home ground that we could call on.

And with work starting soon, their new home should be ready by the

start of the season. The grant came from the Premier League's Football

Stadia Improvement Fund. Earlier, I spoke to it's Chief Executive, Paul

Thorogood, and asked him what clubs in the Channel Islands had already

received funding. The Premier League invests �6 million per year into the

football stadium improvement fund and we distribute that across the

country. There are four clubs across the child loans that benefit from

the foundation and funding. In this case, supporting academics have

benefited from a grant of �8,500 for a fence which will improve the

facilities at that ground. It sounds like a drop in the ocean. We know

the kid of money floating around. Shouldn't you be investing more in

these grassroots societies? Premier League and if they have invested in

the football foundation for 13 years. We have invested in projects

worth just over �1 billion. That is a significant amount of money. The

Premier League has invested just over �200 million. We distributed

across the country. There is a significant amount going on

already. �129,000 has been invested in the Channel Islands. What do you

get out of investing in smaller places? The Channel Islands, like

the rest of the country, we are trying to improve and increase

participation. The aim of the investment, what we are looking for,

is an improved experience at the grassroots level and at the

semiprofessional level so that people will keep coming and we can

increase the number of people who play the game for the love of it.

warm weather to enjoy as we move through the rest of this week. Her

some subtleties. There will be more cloud tonight, even some mist

forming edge could give us a great start to tomorrow. Once that is

gone, I think the sunshine will be back out and continues fine and

mainly dry into the rest of the week as well. At the moment, we have high

pressure. We think it is going to be mainly dry but the high pressure is

moving away from us over the next day. By midday on Thursday, this

little area of low pressure over Spain moves a little bit closer and

introduces the risk of a few showers coming in from France on Thursday

and Friday. Until then, the dry story. All cloud coming in tonight.

Some mist and even fog forming by Dawn. Overnight temperatures of nine

degrees. Any mist quickly clearing. After the low cloud breaks up in the

afternoon, we will see some lengthy sunny spells. Not as breezy as

today. Those winds, again from the East, are slowly easing. Here is the

still have high levels of UV. The pollen is high. Here is the forecast

all the way through and including the start of the weekend. There is a

small chance late on Thursday, Thursday night into Friday, of a few

showers turning up. The greatest risk will be by Sunday. Until then,

mainly dry. Over on the radio, BBC Guernsey

hears from the Italy local builders Association about why he is unhappy