GENEROUS shoppers donated more than 1,500kg of tins, packets and jars of food to help individuals and families facing crisis.

Widnes Foodbank received the goods during a two-day collection at the Tesco Extra store in Lugsdale Road.

it is enough to feed 75 families.

Mum-of-four Clare Bedford, aged 44, volunteer project manager of Widnes Foodbank, said: “It was absolutely brilliant. We are delighted. It is great that the community is still willing to support us.

“More and more families in debt and on low incomes are coming to us. They often have one or two jobs but are not paid enough to cover the bills.”

Some 2,711 people received three days’ emergency food at Widnes Foodbank in the past year.

Of those given rations, 1,138 were children.

Clare and her army of volunteers now fear that many pensioners could be struggling to survive.

They are working closely with agencies to try and identify elderly people who may be going hungry.

Clare said: “We understand that older people are more resilient. They have grown up in harder times but we know they are struggling. Many are too proud to ask for help. We don’t want them to suffer.

“We now work with 60 referral agencies with more than 400 professionials giving out vouchers.

“Our volunteers are amazing. Many of them have been with us since we started.”

Widnes Foodbank is run by volunteers from 28 churches of all denominations across the town and is part of The Trussel Trust’s UK foodbank network.

Visit widnes.foodbank.org.uk if you wish to help.