A BOLTON charity has moved to stop people feeling “ashamed” while using their services - as it deals with turbulent times which have seen services used by up to 150 people a day.

Bolton NICE has been on the pandemic frontline, providing a range of services to those suffering from hardship.

The service deals with around 500 families a week - an increase on pre-pandemic times.

But the number of service users seeking help can range from 50 to 150 people daily.

And charity founder Martin Mcloughlin said more Muslim and Somali people were using services since moving to Brownlow Way last year.

Bolton NICE provides everything from a food bank to employment and living assistance.

Martin said that they are often just “helping people get to the end of the month” due to the ongoing affects of the pandemic.

He added: “We have had a lot more people losing their jobs and who have never been to a food bank in their lives now using one. It is often just about getting them to the end of the month.

“It is an old-fashioned idea that people come along and feel ashamed.

"I know a lot of people feel like they shouldn’t be attending food banks and say that they ‘can’t stoop so low’.

“A lot of people will end up sending someone else, whether that’s a friend or family member, to come and pick things up.

"People should not be ashamed. It is a very difficult situation for so many people at the minute and we are there to support them.

“We can deal with up to 150 people a day, while on others it can be around 50.

"You don’t know how many people will need help, it just depends on how tough people are struggling that week.”

The UK unemployment rate is around five per cent, while local figures showed 15,497 Bolton residents were looking for a job in April.

Money has been pumped into Kickstarter schemes to help young people into work, while universal credit was increased throughout the pandemic to further aid those struggling.

Martin said the charity's services are used by people from all walks of life.

He added: “Whoever comes, comes. Some people will use the service as a short-term thing but some others have no cooking or financial skills and need long term help.

“We often have other charities referring people to us and that can mean we have a lot more than usual at times, so it means more people to keep records on."