WHEN Warrington Food Bank first opened in 2012 to help people who were struggling to feed themselves, volunteers handed out three tonnes of food.

By 2016, that amount had risen to 50 tonnes.

The increase is partly down to the generosity of residents but it is also due to more people having difficulty making ends meet, according to project manager David McDonald.

David said: “We see no end to it. When we started we thought we would be finished by 2014 or 2015. But we think we will be needed through the next parliament.”

In the past year the food bank put 49,220 meals on the table for Warrington residents, with 30 per cent of those dishes going to hungry children.

David explained: “Guests come in with a voucher to collect a few day’s worth of food. We work with 80 agencies who help us find people in food crisis and then we are able to issue food bank vouchers for parcels of food that last a minimum of three days. We also give them menus and ideas.

“They can collect a food parcel three times in any six month period. We are certainly not the corner shop but if you are in crisis we will help you.”

People using food banks may have had a delay in their benefits coming through or had a sudden change of circumstance, like losing their job.

David added: “We do see some older people but not as many as we would like. Many elderly residents make a choice between heating or eating. They don’t want the stigma of coming coming to the food bank.”

Major supermarkets have helped out by putting collection points near the checkouts so kind-hearted customers can drop a few items off during the weekly shop.

All donations are sorted and dated before going to distribution points across the town. David gave special thanks to pupils at Grappenhall Heys Primary, where eight-year-old Brodie Carr has encouraged students to support the food bank after he donated around 800 chocolate Easter bunnies.