AN IMPRESSIVE 4.7 tonnes of food has been donated to the Swindon Foodbank so far this year.

It is entirely funded by local people and all food is donated by locals before being sorted by volunteers. The charity partners with frontline care professionals such as Social Services, health visitors and doctors who identify people in crisis and give them a Foodbank voucher. Clients can then take their voucher to the Foodbank distribution centre to receive their box of food which lasts for three days.

Project manager Lee Thompson said that so far this year they have been able to help 850 people.

“Since November 2005 we have help 16,135 people,” he said.

A standard box contains three meals per day for three days, that is an incredible 145,215 meals.

“In 2012 so far we have helped 850 people, that is 2,550 meals. If each meal was presented on a nine inch plate and laid out in a line that is 22,950 inches – or just over a third of a mile.

“At this rate, by the end of the year we would be able to lay our plates around the circumference of Coate Water lake.

“Without your continued support, we would not be able to complete our circle around the lake. So far this year we have had an astonishing 4.7 tonnes of food donated, however we have distributed 8.3 tonnes.”

For more details, visit www.swindonfoodbank.co.uk.