THIS morning (Saturday, 4 April) volunteers with Thurrock Foodbank were out at venues in Chadwell St Mary and South Ockendon, distributing and collecting food for those in need.

Together with a couple of bags of food items to donate, Thurrock Nub News editor Neil Speight popped along to see how they are faring and add to our catalogue of features showing 'Not all heroes wear capes'.

At Chadwell St Mary's Emmanuel Church on Sleepers Farm Road a number of people had already visited to receive parcels of food.

There to help them were Chadwell's Foodbank volunteer co-ordinator Gina Whitehead and volunteers Peter Saunders and Carol.

In 'normal times' the Foodbank service is a much-needed lifeline for many in the Chadwell local community. Now its importance has massively increased as more and more families are struggling through lockdown without the finance or capability to get even basic footstuffs.

"I feel very sad that we need this service at all, never mind in a crisis like this," says Gina. "Now, at the moment because of coronavirus, so many people are under so much pressure. They can't work, they can't earn and they have got their children at home all the time to provide for. They can't even get meals from school which they would normally get.

"That's what makes doing this so important, but we do need some more help. There are a lot of people who just simply don't have the money. Those who can afford it have the inconvenience of going to have to queue and undergo social distancing to get food at supermarkets, but for some that just isn't an option.

"Without Peter and Carol being here today we couldn't have done this. We really do need more volunteers and I am sure that's the same across Thurrock.

"And we need donations too. There have been some wonderful gifts from big companies but as fast as food is coming in, it's going out. Hopefully people won't just turn up at the Foodbank centres to take away what they need, others will come along and donate what they can spare. Things like tinned food and pasta – and longlife milk – are absolutely vital."

Peter is well known in the Chadwell St Mary Community, where he runs the local community forum. Like many others across Thurrock, he is one of the many community-minded people who knit the borough together.

"It's really important that we do this. Normally the people of Chadwell can get help through the community hub at the library, but that is now closed down and so they have nowhere to go.

"They need to know support is out there and so we are here doing this. Hopefully others will feel able to come out and join us – even if it's just to donate food."

Thurrock Nub News has details of when are where Foodbanks will be open. Click here

Thurrock Foodbank's head office is at the Thurrock Christian Fellowship 2-4 Chase Road, Corringham, SS17 7QH . You can call them with offers of help on 01375 416200 or email [email protected] or get in touch via their website here