Foodbank seeks donations ahead of summer 'crisis'

Dawn Stanford said school holidays can be a crisis for some families

A community foodbank is preparing to help hard-pressed families through the "crisis" of the summer holidays.

Nourish Community Foodbank, in Tunbridge Wells, said one in five children live in poverty in the Kent town and is asking for donations.

Families whose children receive free school meals may experience what the charity calls "hidden holiday hunger" when schools break up.

Dawn Stanford, operations director, said: "The holidays really are a form of crisis for households."

The foodbank is calling for donations to help families over the summer holidays

She said the foodbank works with schools, Citizens Advice and other agencies to engage families they know will struggle over the holidays.

"It's people like you and me," she said. "It's people who are doing everything they can, living within a very tight budget that can't seem to grow.

"It's for those times when things happen and there isn't enough money to buy food and provide for your family."

Volunteer team leader Dianne Hill said the charity has grown "amazingly"

The charity, which started in 2012, delivers emergency food and supplies across Tunbridge Wells borough, south Tonbridge and the surrounding areas.

Dianne Hill, a volunteer team leader, has been with it for 8 years.

She said: "It’s grown amazingly from a little room in the big yellow storage up on the third floor and gradually expanded to this custom built warehouse.

"We never thought it would be this size, but there is a need out there for it.”

As well as asking for donations from individuals, schools, businesses, clubs and places of worship, the foodbank will also visit schools to explain to pupils why the charity needs their help.