A SERVICE that provides cheap food for families in needs has issued a plea for donations as supplies run low.

Carlisle Community Help issued the plea over the weekend via social media.

Donations of tinned foods such fruit, rice pudding, custard, meat, vegetables, soup and other goods rice, long life milk, tea, coffee, sugar, cereals have all been requested.

Founder and city councillor Lisa Brown explained the situation.

She said: "We are in need, we could do with everything really.

"I don't know if we've had anything donated yet. I think coming out of another lockdwon has changed things.

"Everybody was very willing to give, but I think people are a bit drained. Hopefully it will be alright because it just keeps getting busier.

"With the grant money that we get from the county council and DEFRA, we can purchases £800 worth of food every week, but it's always useful to donated stuff in to keep that balance. The price that people actually pay is negligible.

"We're even getting schools now that are paying for families. It's good because they can give them access to fresh food."

Lisa also explained how people can donate if they wish to do so.

She continued: "People can just bring it down to our unit - 100 Kingstown Estate, the old Eddie Stobart HQ - or if they want to drop us a message via email then we could try and arrange for one of our delivery drivers to come and pick it up."

The team behind Carlisle Community Help first started a food bank collection in the city centre on March 13 2020 – just before the first national lockdown.

Since then, it has grown into a large organisation with six affordable food hubs, with thousands of people helped across the city.

Users can choose from a list of items from our stocks but only pay a low set price each week.

The hub's website states: "We will top up your shop with donated surplus food. We have built up relationships with local producers, who will be able to supply reduced priced locally made food to offer for sale."