OVERWHELMING support for East Surrey's first food bank has helped the charity behind it feed more than 160 people – and counting.
Loveworks, which established the food bank in Merstham in October, predicts need is only set to increase. Close to 1,000 food items were collected for people in need in just two weeks before Christmas, thanks to donations from Surrey Mirror readers, Raven Housing Trust and Reigate companies Morgan Sindall and Just Retirement. The food bank was so inundated, it ran out of storage room.
But that was when the Redhill and Reigate Round Table came to the rescue, offering to buy some new cupboards with £2,000 raised from Santa Claus's annual flying visit to Reigate's Priory Park last month, which the group organises.
Santander has also given Loveworks £5,000 towards the cost of getting a van to transport food.
"We have been overwhelmed by the response from the community to getting the food bank off the ground," said Loveworks founder Linda Sourris.
"The need for it is set to deepen as the welfare reform changes kick in from April and the project offers a simple way for anyone to help out.
"It's a simple question of those who can afford to buy a few extra items, donating them to people in their community who are in such dire straits that they can't afford to buy shopping."
She said that, particularly in the recent freezing weather, people are forced to choose between eating and heating their homes, adding: "People are struggling economically, and they can't have both."
The food bank has so far provided food parcels to 163 people.
Anyone interested in volunteering is invited to an event on Monday, February 11 at 7pm, upstairs in Urban Kitchen, Church Street, Reigate.
For more information about the charity, visit www.loveworks.org.uk
