A new foodbank is to be launched in the Greenstead area of Colchester to help meet the need of those living in the area.

Colchester Foodbank, which is part of the Trussell Trust's network, revealed that it had seen a significant increase in calls for its services so far in 2019.

In the first six months of 2019, the foodbank handed out over 4,100 parcels which contained three days of emergency food. An increase of 1000 on the same period in 2018.

Of the parcels handed out over a third went to help children in crisis.

Colchester Foodbanks main office in Moorside Business Park with further banks being operated in Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe.

To meet with growing demand the charity decided to open a further foodbank and mapped out where its users came from to help make its decision.

The new foodbank will act as a satellite service and will be located at Colchester Credit Union on Tuesdays from 10am to 12pm.

Mike Beckett, the chief officer of Colchester Foodbank charity, said: "We mapped our client's postcodes and found our biggest area of need was in the Greenstead area.

"We decided that we should pilot earlier intervention for our clients by bringing our Foodbank coverage directly to Greenstead."

Colchester councillor Julie Young welcomed the new bank.

She said: "Greenstead ward Councillors are delighted to welcome the foodbank to Greenstead, we wish this wasn't needed but realise the foodbank acts as a lifeline to many of our constituents."

However, the opening of the new foodbank has presented further difficulties to the charity who are now faces with finding further food donations to help stock the new location.

"We can only continue to provide crucial support with the community's help," said Mr Beckett.

"We rely on local donations to run the food bank. We are not turning people who come with a foodbank voucher away, but we want to make sure that whilst there is a need for our work in the area, we are able to provide a full, nutritionally-balanced supply of three days' emergency food."

Donations of items like tinned food, packets of rice and teabags as well as longlife juice cartons, tinned fish and washing powder should be dropped off at the charity's warehouse.