CREDITON Food Bank is appealing for donations of food and toiletries to help keep up with current demand in the area, as many families struggle to put food on the table.

Parents often go hungry themselves in order to feed their children and are sometimes forced to choose between paying the rent and buying food.

The town's emergency food bank service was set up two years ago by Christians Together in Crediton and is run by volunteers.

It is based at the Congregational Church, in the High Street, with collection points in local churches, Stevie B's, the Yellow Bookshop and at the Crediton Courier office, during working hours.

In the current economic climate more and more people are becoming eligible for the service offered by the food bank and have all sorts of reasons for being in crisis, including benefit delay, refused crisis loan, delayed wages, debt, low income, homelessness, unemployment, domestic violence and sickness.

The vouchers, needed to collect a food bag, can be issued by the Citizen's Advice Bureau, the Children's Centre, CHAT, school nurses, health visitors, doctors and ministers.

Food vouchers can be taken to the Congregational Church during the Fish Tank coffee mornings held on Tuesdays and Thursdays or by contacting volunteer Sue Goode and arranging a collection time.

Sue explained: "We keep in touch with the other churches by email and usually have four flavours of the month, which are items in particular need that we are running short of.

"At the moment we are looking for festive things such as Christmas puddings, mince pies, chocolates, biscuits and toiletries."

A vegetable plot has been started behind the church, where volunteers will grow vegetables, during the growing season, for the food bank and they are also working with Sustainable Crediton so that people who grow excess food will be able to donate it to the food bank.

As well as perishable foods like rice, pasta, tea bags and tinned food such as meat, fish, fruit and tomatoes people can also give donations in money, become a volunteer or hold a fund raising event.

For more information contact Crediton Congregational Church on 01363 772577 or email: [email protected]">[email protected] .