VOLUNTEERS who have helped feed needy people in Worcester are marking one year of support this week.

May 14 will mark one year since the St Peters Friends of Worcester Foodbank group took part in its first street collection. Collection organiser John Renshaw said: “Back then we only covered 22 streets and we wondered what the response from residents would be like.

“We needn’t have worried. People have been very generous with their donations throughout and over the months the regular collections have spread across St Peters.”

Mr Renshaw, who is also a St Peters parish councillor, was joined by fellow volunteers in collecting food, which was then sorted at St Peters Baptist Church and delivered to Worcester Foodbank, who experienced record demand during the pandemic.

He added: “At the beginning of the year the church became Worcester’s vaccination centre. St Mark in the Cherry Orchard CofE Church stepped into the breach and we’re very grateful to both churches and the wider community for their ongoing support.”

Despite the record levels of support, Mr Renshaw said there is still a need to deliver food and support families through the pandemic.

He added: “Although things are slowly returning to normal the economic damage from the pandemic will continue for some time. Unfortunately that probably means further job losses and more people relent on the Foodbank to help makes ends meet. We’ll probably be doing this for some time to come.”

Anybody wishing to donate to the collection this Thursday evening just needs to place the item(s) at the end of their driveway, path or gate at 8pm.

Volunteers will collect and deliver them to St Marks Church from where they will be taken to the Foodbank.