A charity that helps families in crisis predicts an avalanche of people experiencing food poverty will need their support this summer.

United Families (UF) has started planning early how it is going to meet demand when the financial strains of the school holidays hit.

Luke Shaw, founder and chairman, said the last three school holidays brought a huge demand for food support.

He said: "On average we were providing support to about 25 to 30 families on a weekly basis from Deal, Dover, Folkestone, and surrounding villages.

"These families are often unable to seek support elsewhere because they may of used them previously and be past their limit.

"It come to the point where, health visitors, early help support workers, Kent police, doctors and other services from all over the district, were contacting us to help their families.

"We simply could not acquire the stock needed quick enough to service the demand."

He praised an "amazing" response from the community with people dropping off food supplies daily, contacting UF to see what volunteers needed most of. Local businesses, despite the pressures they faced, either donated financially or dropped off large bags of supplies, hygiene products and treats.

Mr Shaw hopes that same momentum will shine through again and he's appealing for more of the same so UF can help more families this summer.

He added: "Over the last four weeks, we sat down as a team to look at how the next six months were going to look, taking in to account restrictions were slowly easing, but uncertainty was growing rapidly. "With so many businesses being closed longer than others, and now opening on a limited capacity, job losses are certain for people, at the very least working hours will be heavily reduced.

"This made us very concerned for the summer school holidays.

"We really want to get ahead and prepare for the demand so that we can ensure everyone who contacts us, receives the support they deserve..."

"Parents would be faced with juggling child care, providing for them, working their jobs. All this whilst trying to entertain the children during the holidays, on a smaller budget than normal, savings more than likely spent during the last 15 months just to survive, meet bills, purchase equipment needed for homeschooling, working from home etc.

"We looked at the data and how much increase in usage we had seen already, and worryingly realised that July onwards would see the start of an avalanche of families needing support, more than ever before. "Furlough will be drawing to a close, Universal credits £20 a week top up will be ending in September, School uniform costs, Bus passes for those attending schools out of their area.

"We predict that we will be seeing the demand of between 50 to 70 families requiring food support throughout the summer holidays.

"We really want to get ahead and prepare for the demand so that we can ensure everyone who contacts us, receives the support they deserve."

The charity has set up a gofund me campaign for financial donations.

As well as asking for the local community to help, they have also applied for various grants that will help with the challenge.

He added: "Sadly funding grants are never guaranteed and this is why we are campaigning early, so that we are prepared and not worrying in July that we would not be in a position to help these families.

"People can help by either donating food directly to us, or donating via our gofund me or even set up a direct debit/standing order to support us regular."

UF, based at 17-23 Queen Street, Deal, offers a host of services to families experiencing a range of difficulties.

The team works closely with the relevant organisations who become involved when a family break up and agreements cannot be amicably agreed.

Services include family contact, court chaperone, Daddy Cool and Mummy Cool breakfast clubs, drugs, alcohol and DNA testing, and it runs a a school uniform recycling project.

All are designed to ensure kids get the best out of family life despite issues like estrangement and financial hardship.

Businesses that have supported United Families include Ants on the Go of Deal which ran a Christmas Tree collection service throughout January raising £615.00

The firm's Anthony Foster chose to help the charity's food bank services after being actively involved in the Christmas dinner project where his team gave up their day to help deliver food parcels accords Deal and Dover.

Iceland also supported UF by donating free milk to the families that use the service.

You can contact the branch via email at info@unitedfamiliesuk.org.uk or telephone 01304 799997.

For information about the charity visit the website.