A decade of people’s generosity for those less fortunate has been marked by people running one of the first foodbanks to be set up in the UK.

Maidstone Homeless Care’s Food For Thought food drive was one of the first in the country to be launched back in 2005.

Its contribution to helping the homeless and those in urgent need was celebrated at a reception at the town hall last night.

Around 60 supporters, including volunteers, schools, charities and church representatives gathered to celebrate its contribution to the town.

The project’s foundation came after the former manager at Maidstone Day Centre, Julie Davies, noticed, while working as a family liaison officer, children were going to bed hungry and attending school without eating a substantial meal.

Trustee Angela Clay said: “We realised this was happening right across the country. We were in right at the beginning.

“What started off as just a wish to help people who didn’t get enough to eat has developed into a service that many towns would aspire to.”

Initially supplies came from Baker’s Oven (forerunner to Greggs) donating leftover bread, but today volunteer drivers collect from numerous supermarkets across the Maidstone and Malling boroughs each morning.

Current manager Zofia Grzymala told how the Knightrider Street centre now caters for an average of 34 homeless people a day, stretching resources to the limit.

It is also the base for teams putting together emergency food parcels for people in sudden hardship through relationship breakdown, unemployment and other issues.

She told how this week they had tailored an emergency food parcel to a single mum’s needs as her son had his fifth birthday and she could not give him anything due to splitting from her partner and a delay in receiving her benefits.

Miss Grzymala said: “She was really upset because she couldn’t get him anything. We put in lots of things for him and chocolates and flowers for her. We try to put in what we can for each person’s individual needs.”

Archdeacon Rev Canon Stephen Taylor MBE added: “I get mixed feelings, as it is hard to explain how we cannot manage in our wealthy society to care for the needs of the poorest amongst us.

“But I am humbled to recognise that there are those here who make it work so well - it is a remarkable piece of management.”

The Kent Messenger’s You Can Help appeal, which, along with the Friends of the centre, collects thousands of cans and other donations every year from schools and local people, was also acknowledged.