A CHARITY which offers struggling families a lifeline has opened another premises in Colchester.

Myland Foodbank has opened its doors after almost 14,000 people used Colchester Foodbank over the past year.

The shocking figures revealed to the Gazette also showed more than 6,000 of these people were children.

Foodbank boss Michael Beckett said he was worried the service would become “overwhelmed” after demand skyrocketed during the pandemic.

Gazette:

Now the additional site, in Myland parish halls, in Mile End Road, will serve the public every Tuesday and Friday from 10am until noon.

Colchester mayor Rober Davidson cut the ribbon for the premises alongside councillors, foodbank volunteers, community leaders and the Revs Ray Gibbs and John Chandler.

Colchester Foodbank’s chief officer Mike Beckett said: “We wish to thank all those who have invested time and effort into opening our tenth distribution point, especially Anne Barney for leading on launching this foodbank with support of the community.

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“Colchester Foodbank provides food for people in crisis, providing meals to feed more than 1,000 people a month.

“Last year for every five people we helped, two of those were children. This new service helps bring the foodbank into the community so people can get the help they need sooner.

“This is our busiest time of year for the foodbank charity and we are doing everything we can to be ready to help those who need it.

“None of what we do would be possible without the generosity and the goodwill of people who give their time, money and food donations at the supermarket.

“We ask people who can afford to, to help the foodbank and we really can’t thank those who do enough, this is a really big thank you from the foodbank team.”

Over the past year there has been a 47 per cent increase in residents of all ages helped from across the Colchester borough, almost 14,000 people.

Figures have also revealed 683 children were fed in March 2020, more than double the number of March 2019 at 310.