KIND-HEARTED Steve King has hatched a fundraising plan that he hopes will prove straight from the top drawer.

The 58-year-old is launching a campaign to help the needy of Colchester.

He is asking everyone to clear out "that drawer" - the one most of us have, bursting with odds and ends - and rummage for loose change.

Then he wants people to put that money towards the town's foodbank.

Mr King had the idea after tidying a kitchen drawer and unearthing change worth £5.

He wants others to do the same and has set his initial target at just £50.

However, he believes the sky's the limit and, via Twitter, he is hoping for high-profile backing from celebrities including Kirstie Allsopp, James Martin, Gregg Wallace and comedian Michael McIntyre, who famously performed a sketch about his "man drawer".

Mr King said: "I think most of us have that kind of drawer, full of bits and pieces.

"After finding my coins, it occurred to me that it would be great if others could do the same and dig out their lost-to-the-drawer change.

"Then, together, we could do something really useful with it.

"My idea is to collect it up, take it to the change machine in Sainsbury’s and then give the voucher to the Colchester Foodbank.

"It would be amazing to do something positive to help.

"Being homeless or needing to use the foodbank must be a horrible place to be.

"I’ve had to shop with a calculator in the past so the thought of needing it must hurt.

"It's not great for anybody’s mental health, now or otherwise."

Gazette: Colchester Foodbank manager Michael Beckett, in the food store..Colchester Foodbank manager Michael Beckett, in the food store..

Mr King, who lives in Wren Close, on Stanway's Lakeland estate, has already been in touch with The Trussell Trust, the charity that works to end the need for foodbanks in the UK.

It supports a network of over 1,200 centres, including the one in Colchester.

"I admit I’ve been complacent when it comes to the foodbank," added Mr King, who works for Siemens.

"I’ve seen the posts on social media and I’ve meant to help but simply haven’t.

"Like many, I thought taking a few tins and packets felt wouldn’t really help and, of course, there's an element of laziness.

"But after finding those coins, it planted a seed in my mind about a way I could use the money, shrug off my own complacency and do something positive.

"For a couple of hours, I was only thinking on a very local level.

"Then it occurred to me the concept could catch on and I hope people buy into it and associate with ‘that drawer’.

"Locally, I wanted to raise £50.

"However, the sky's the limit if we get the right people behind it."

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