A heartfelt thank you message from a young mother in desperate need has been made public as the first volunteer forum was staged for Deal Area Emergency Foodbank.
Her words reflected her deep gratitude to the charity, which met on Monday at Trinity Church, Union Road, when 30 helpers discussed the progress of the charity project, which started work in December.
In a statement to the Mercury the mother described the help and kindness received when she contacted Foodbank, unable to feed her children as her benefit stopped when her sick notes failed to arrive at the appropriate office.
She said: “Having worked all my adult life I found myself alone with children and on employment support allowance due to ill health. My benefit was stopped as the ESA said they hadn’t received my sick notes.
“I had been without Employment and Support Allowances for more than two months and ended up in a Foodbank outlet. I felt I had gone as low as I could possibly go not being able to feed my lovely children. I felt sick as I walked through the church door.
“It was amazing to find a group of people who did not judge, but just welcomed folk with open arms, they are truly a credit.”
Deal Foodbank chairman Alan Thompson said the woman wanted to be unnamed.
He added: “I hope her statement in the Mercury helps to break the barriers we hear about that stop some people using the vouchers given out.”

* For full story see the East Kent Mercury, May 2, and visit www.dealarea.foodbank.org.uk