The team behind the city's foodbanks are encouraging people to take part in one of a trio of fundraisers being kicked off as Lent begins.

The Norwich Foodbank, part of the Trussell Trust network, has three ideas that families can join in with during Lent, which begins on Wednesday, March 6 and continues until Thursday, April 18.

The first is the #40for40 initiative, where people are encouraged to put aside 40p for the 40 days of Lent and donate it to a local foodbank - if they claim gift aid, it would round up to a sum of £20.

Second is Give Up and Give, a well-known drive asking people to give up a loved item - chocolate, perhaps, or alcohol - and donate the money they would have spent to charity.

Third is a drive encouraging people to live on £1 a day.

For five consecutive days, Hannah Worsley, foodbank project manager, will be joined by volunteers as she lives off just £1 each day for food and drink.

Those wishing to get involved can donate what they would have spent, or a portion of, to the charity.

Ms Worsley said: 'I am going to be doing this because I meet and hear of so many people in my job who have been without food for days or regularly skip a meal because of providing for their families or due to finances, and I want to increase my empathy and understanding of what it's like for so many people every day.

'I am grateful for what I have, but I think that, by doing this, I will be even more thankful for the choices I can make and also appreciate further the very real and practical difference a food parcel can have for an individual or family who uses the foodbank.'

She said she hoped the initiatives would encourage people to donate to the foodbank, but, if not, she said it would give people an insight into what it is like to be on a limited income.

For those taking part in the £1 a day challenge, Ms Worsley said items like porridge oats, milk, tea bags, banked beans and fresh carrots were useful, but said those with particularly tiring or manual jobs may want to consider whether the challenge was appropriate.

Volunteers will be sharing their experiences here and you can donate by clicking here.