Croydon Community Food Store, a food bank that helps hundreds of people living below the poverty line in the borough, is appealing for £20,000 to prevent it from shutting down. A JustGiving page has been launched to save the food bank, set up three years ago with no public funding and staffed by volunteers.

Founder Fatima Koroma said the need was still great because many people cannot afford to feed themselves. “I set up the food bank three years ago. There was a great need for the service and many other services were not appropriate for families or other vulnerable people. I had experienced long term unemployment, so was quite disheartened by the stigma attached to living in poverty.”

The food bank’s first need is to have a new telephone line installed Pic: Croydon Community Food Store

As Christmas draws closer, more and more people are relying on food banks as they have little or no income to provide food for their families. Already the phone line has been disconnected and the food bank is struggling to keep its doors open in the crucial run up to Christmas. Funds are needed to employ two people part-time, get the phone switched back on and continue the work that they do.

Most of the people seen on a daily basis are in a truly desperate situation Pic: Croydon Community Food Store

Video by Amanda Rooney