Ledbury Food Bank has vowed to keep people fed, despite or because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Spokesman Martin Ham said: "The pandemic has dumped a host of problems at the door of the food banks in Ledbury and Bosbury. The Trussell Trust who run over 700 food banks have noted a fall in donations of both food and money since the start of the troubles.

"However, at a meeting of the Ledbury Food Bank on Wednesday the management expressed their absolute determination that the show must go on and people in need would be fed! The circumstances of many local people will change and the food bank expects demand to grow even faster than it has been for the last 12 months. Another problem is that many of the Ledbury Food Bank volunteers are over 70 and vulnerable, and should be self-isolating."

Mr Ham added: "Many organisations are closing down, but the food banks in both Ledbury and Bosbury plan to open exactly as normal, 10am to noon on Wednesdays and Fridays in Ledbury and 1.30pm to 4pm on Tuesday at Bosbury.

"The health of both clients and volunteers is an absolute priority, and so the way food is handed out must change. Rigorous hand washing before entry will be essential for all, and the number of people in the food bank at any time will be limited. For reasons of hygiene, clients will be asked not to handle the food on the shelves, but plenty of food will still be there for them."

The food bank has coped with a 50% increase in the number of those fed in 2019.

Mr Ham said: "Generous donations of food and money by local people have so far allowed the food bank to cater for that increase in demand, but the pandemic has added a further squeeze on finances. The continued success of the food bank will rely on the continued growth in the generosity of local donors. Recently the food bank has added a new method of donating. On our website (www.ledburyfoodbank.org) there is a facility to donate via Paypal, which is proving popular with donors.

"Many things in the future are very hard to anticipate, but the determination of the food bank volunteers is that those who are in need will all get food."