Praise for town's food bank

LABOUR Parliamentary candidate Nick Bent has put on record his appreciation for the work carried out by Warrington’s food bank over the festive period.
The food bank, which opened in December 2012, has given out more than 25,000 meals in its first year – amounting tomore than 26 tonnesof food.
Some 100 people in the town regularly volunteer to help collect food, put together good parcels and talk with people who visit the food bank for help.
Mr Bent said: “I commend the strong spirit of generosity shown by Warrington people who donate food, volunteer at our food bank and help others to get back on their feet.”
Requests for help are growing so fast that Warrington food bank is planning new distribution points for needy families in Hood Manor, Latchford, Orford and Culcheth.
The Trussell Trust, a national charity which supports and advises food banks around the country, haS published new figures about the rapid growth of food bank use.
They show that in the North West there has been a big increase in the use of food banks since April 2011.
In the period April 2011 to March 2012, a total of 6,301 people used the banks but for the same period a year later the figure had risen to 39,167.
For the period April 1 to December 5 last year, the figure was 84,420.
All the food given out by Warrington food bank is donated by local people, including 14 tonnes from Harvest Festival events at schools and churches across the town.