A CHARITY providing food for families in crisis is set to double the size of its warehouse.

Colchester Food Bank has received so many donations for people in need it will rent a 1,000 sq ft warehouse.

It is moving from its 520 sq ft unit at the Big Yellow storage unit in Turner Road to a new home in Moorside Business Park.

Rev Andrew Fordyce, chairman of trustees of the Colchester Food Bank, said: “The generosity of the people of Colchester has been humbling.

“Of course, in an ideal world we shouldn’t have to exist.

“But while there are people going without we want to be as good a resource for those people as possible and if that means being able to store more, then that’s what it means.”

Colchester’s was the 33rd Food Bank to be set up in Britain.

It distributes about 40 parcels of food a week, the equivalent of 1.6 tonnes of food a month.

In 2012 it distributed more than 16 tonnes of food, which is nearly three times what was given out in 2010.

About 3,000 adults and 700 children have received food from the bank since May 2010.

Rev Fordyce, the vicar of St Margaret’s Church in Berechurch, Colchester, added: “I think we have touched a chord with the people of Colchester and they understand that we need to looking to each other to help each other out.”

Rev Fordyce is hopeful the move will be completed by the end of the month.
It will also switch its distribution base to the Salvation Army citadel in Butt Road in March.

It will mark the end of a three year agreement with Colchester Council to give out the food from Angel Court, in High Street.