CO-OP representatives paid a visit to Colchester Foodbank, supporting them in their bid to find a new home.

Foodbank staff gave a tour to East of England Co-op chief executive, Roger Grosvenor and other Co-op team members.

Last year the foodbank saw a 13.5 per cent increase in referrals on the previous year.

Michael Beckett, chief officer at Colchester Foodbank, said: "To combat hunger in Colchester we must make sure our local emergency food parcel system works fairly and compassionately, stopping people getting to a point where they have no money and cannot afford to eat.

"When frontline professionals meet people in crisis who have run out of food, they refer them to their local foodbank.

"It is important people in crisis are able to get the emergency food parcel home from Colchester Foodbank as most of our clients walk a considerable distance on foot to us and back again.”

When their founding patron Sir Bob Russell knew the foodbank was running low on carrier bags, he asked the Co-op to help.

They generously provided a donation of 5,000 carrier bags to make sure the foodbank can give out emergency parcels until Christmas, with the promise of more.

Mr Beckett added: "As demand continues to rise, sadly more and more people are struggling to feed themselves.

"That’s why people support and run foodbanks, like Colchester Foodbank in partnership with Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea Foodbanks, with our volunteer heroes doing amazing work to help the most vulnerable in our community."

East of England Co-op supermarkets have long been valued partners in the fight against poverty.

Joint chief executive, Roger Grosvenor, said: “We have supported foodbanks across our region for many years and have seen the demand for their services grow considerably in that time.

"Colchester Foodbank provides an invaluable service to its clients, so we were delighted to be able to support them in this way.”

Colchester Foodbank’s biggest cost is running and renting the warehouse at Moorside Business Park.

They hope to raise enough money for a deposit for a mortgage, so they can own a building and save money in the long term.

Colchester Foodbank Charity's Food HQ premises fund launched in May 2018 has so far raised £20,659.

Donations can be made via the Co-Op Bank. Account name: Colchester Foodbank, account number: 65361687, Sort Code: 08/92/99, or in person at the foodbank.