LEDBURY'S Food Bank is being supported by a High Street store, as demands for its services show no signs of slowing down.

One-Stop in the Homend is the first shop in town to collect for the Food Bank, by special arrangement.

Food Bank spokesman, David Kirkham said: "We are delighted that Ledbury's One-Stop is set to support our local Food Bank at St. Katherine's. Thanks to the intervention of the manager, Hayley England, goods purchased in the store and placed in the Food Bank container will benefit Ledbury clients."

He added: "All our other collection points, including the local churches continue to receive generous donations of food and household items. Other boxes are now in the Library, Town Council Offices, Swimming Pool, Leadon Bank and the Master's House, which is closed Wednesdays and Thursdays."

The ease of donating food should help organisers to keep up with demand.

Mr Kirkham said that the Food Bank was seeing around 20 people a week, and he added: "Some of those individuals have families, and need to feed five people."

This means that, on some weeks, the Food Bank may be feeding up to 100 local people, across the age ranges.

Mr Kirkham said: "We are getting different faces, with many people only coming for a month, which is what the Food Bank was set up to do, to help people through difficult times.

"Our constant aim is to provide practical help to those suffering temporary hardship, and wherever possible and appropriate, to offer information on accessing the services of agencies who can deal with specific individual problems."

The Food Bank opens on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10.30am until12.30pm when clients present vouchers from Agencies such as Nurseries, Primary Schools, Home Start, Age UK, CAB, Social Services, Health and Mental Health workers, Welfare Rights Hereford and Festival Housing. For those with no direct connection to any of these organisations, vouchers are issued at Ledbury Town Council Offices on Wednesdays only, from 9.45am – 10.45am.

In Emergency, or for further information ring 01531- 633643 or 01531- 633357