Norwich Foodbank starts work

Thousands of vulnerable people will now be able to receive food after the Norwich Foodbank project threw open its doors.

Thousands of vulnerable people will now be able to receive food after the Norwich Foodbank project threw open its doors.

The charity, which works to support people in the area who find themselves on the edge of disaster, yesterday started distributing food from its Foodbank centre at the Norwich Christian Resource Centre on Redwell Street.

The project, which will be opening a second centre at the Mile Cross Methodist Church on Aylsham Road on Thursday, is being run by Grant Habershon.

He said: 'People in Norwich are going hungry today. Norwich is the 62nd most deprived district in England and I would expect we would need to feed at least 2000 people each year when we are fully up and running.

'Many local people have no financial safety net and a sudden crisis, such as a benefit delay, bereavement, redundancy or illness, can leave them unable to feed themselves or their family. Such situations can quickly deteriorate, leading to relationship breakdown, house repossession or worse.' Food is donated by the people of Norwich and volunteers sort and pack the food into food boxes which will last for three days.

People who need help are identified by care professionals, who identify people in crisis and give them a voucher which can be taken to one of the Foodbank centres.

Contact Norwich Foodbank on 01603 617905 or email foodnorwichproject@hotmail co.uk.

More information can be found at: www.norwichfoodbank.co.uk