THE Malvern Hills Foodbank is urging anyone who needs help over the festive season to reach out to them.

Thanks to the generosity of the people of Malvern District, and the recent influx of food from harvest festivals, Malvern Hills Foodbank is well stocked.

And the food bank's managers are keen to ensure that this stock is distributed to people who are struggling over the coming Christmas period.

They are appealing to their regular referral agencies and anyone working with older people, people with chronic illnesses and families who are struggling to make ends meet this Christmas to look out for anyone who would benefit from its food parcels.

The food bank can issue food to any organisation working with people in need, and would be able to take food parcels out to rural areas if required.

Individuals and families requiring help need to get a voucher from a referral agency before coming to the Foodbank. It works with a wide range of referral agencies including Fortis Living, Malvern CAB and Children’s Centres, and can put people in touch with support agencies to not only get a food voucher but also help to improve their situation.

“Many people struggle on when help is available, “ said chairman Cathy Jackson-Read. “No one in the Malvern Hills area needs to go hungry this Christmas. Do get in touch if you think we can help.

"Christmas can be a very difficult time for people on low incomes as budgets are stretched even tighter with present-buying and festive goods and activities."

Malvern Hills Foodbank has distributed 1497 food parcels over the last year, providing the equivalent of roughly 36,000 meals to 862 adults and 630 children.

Anyone who needs assistance should contact 07581 716933 or info@malvernhills.foodbank.org.uk.

*Anti-poverty charity the Trussell Trust has this week proposed a direct telephone line between foodbanks and local job centres, as it reveals that between April and September 2016, Trussell Trust food banks in the West Midlands - which includes the Malvern Hills Foodbank - gave 49,365 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, compared to 48,055 in the same period last year.