A FOODBANK has provided emergency food to over 10,000 people, almost half of which were children, in just four years.

Braintree Area Foodbank was set up four years ago in April 2012 to provide help and advice for local people in crisis.

The Foodbank has now expanded to four centres, including St Andrews Church, Halstead; Christ Church, Braintree; Braintree Baptist Church and Witham Methodist Church.

Since opening, the four centres have provided emergency food to 10,020 people, of which 47 per cent were children, and has distributed over 100 tonnes of food, which is collected and donated by individuals, local churches, supermarkets, charities, schools and businesses.

Voluntary publicity officer Jane Lushington said: “Many of our donors give on a regular basis.

“It is a privilege to be able to help local people in need through the generous donations from local people.

"Many recipients become donors themselves, once back on their feet.

"The Foodbank could not exist without the generosity of the public, businesses and over 200 volunteers who collectively provide over 100 hours of service each week."

David McAuley, chief executive of The Trussell Trust says: "Today’s figures on national foodbank use prove that the numbers of people hitting a crisis where they cannot afford food are still far too high.

"One million three day food supplies given out by our foodbank every year is one million too many.

"This many people needing emergency food must not become the new normal.

"I’m calling on Government, the voluntary sector, businesses and communities to work together to tackle hunger and poverty in the UK. This has to be a society-wide effort."

The running costs of the district's foodbanks are around £40,000 a year, all of which needs to be raised to enable work to continue.

Costs include a small warehouse which is used to sort and store donated food, pack the boxes of food for distribution, a van to pick up donated food and deliver to the distribution centres, utilities and insurances and other overheads.

The group of foodbanks were able to get initial grant funding support to meet some of the costs, but are looking for further funding.

As this becomes more difficult to source, the foodbanks are looking to find other sources to meet the running costs, including local businesses and organisations.

The centre, in the St Andrew's Centre, Parsonage Street, Halstead, is open on a Monday between 10am and 2pm for donations to be dropped off.