City-wide food bank to open in Stoke-on-Trent

A new food bank that helps those struggling to feed their families is to open in Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday.

It will be backed by the Trussell Trust, which runs a network of food banks across the UK and based at Wesley Hall Methodist Church in Noblett Road.

Reverend Ron Willoughby, a minister of the church, said it would help people in crisis with three days of nutritional food.

He said those who visit the food banks would be "helped and encouraged".

'Hit crisis'

Rev Willoughby added: "We're as ready as we can be. We hoped to have two-and-a-half to three tonnes of food in the warehouse, but it is closer to one-and-a-half tonnes.

"It's not quite as much food as we wanted, but we have a lot of great opportunities."

All food given out by food banks is donated and professionals identify those in "crisis" and give them a food bank voucher.

Trussell Trust executive chairman Chris Mould said: "Food banks are seeing people from all walks of life turning to us for help when they hit crisis.

"We are urging more churches and communities to support and start food banks."