Food bank move to aid Market Drayton's needy

A food bank could be created in Market Drayton after it emerged some people are struggling to afford the basic essentials to survive as the economic crisis continues to bite.

A meeting has been called to see if a food bank could be set up in the town. It would accept donations of spare food and household essentials from businesses and individuals to be handed out to those in the greatest need.

The Reverend Martin Tanner, from St Mary's Church in Market Drayton, said he was shocked when a resident recently asked him for food.

Now he has asked charity the Trussell Trust, which helped set up a scheme in Oswestry, to attend the meeting and explain how a food bank works.

Debt

He said: "There was a knock at the vicarage door. It was not a tramp. It was not a passer-by. It was a local resident who lived not far from me.

"He said to me 'have you any food please? I haven't eaten for two days'.

"It is a fact that the West Midlands region borrowed more money over the Christmas period than any other region of Britain.

"We incurred the greatest per capita debt and one in 16 people in our region could not, in January, pay their December bills."

If a food bank is created, stock would be securely stored and given to people on benefits who are recommended by members of the caring professions, he added.

But a group of volunteers would be needed to run the scheme, making up food parcels, accepting donations and issuing supplies.

Town leaders today spoke of their shock at the news that some residents appear to be going hungry.

Town mayor Councillor Kath Brown said: "I think it's a brilliant idea but I'm shocked to hear there are residents struggling to afford food."

The meeting is at Market Drayton Methodist Church on Tuesday at 7.30pm.