A new and urgent appeal for donations has been launched by Deal Area Emergency Foodbank as more people are asking the charity for short-term help.

Demand is rising dramatically and more bins are going out for people to make donations, the latest going into the Co-operative supermarket in the town centre.

Members of the Co-op Party have been helping the Deal Foodbank since it was formed in December and Jeanette Timmins, chairman of the Dover and Deal Co-operative Party, on Monday presented £25 to the charity.

She is appealing to Mercury readers to help people in crisis by adding donations of food into the bucket at the Park Street supermarket.

She said: “Our Co-op Party branch is pleased to support the work of the Foodbank and the organisation is doing a great job. We will continue to help where we can and we urge shoppers to drop an item into the bin when they visit the Co-op store to help those that are finding themselves in need.”

Alan Thompson, chairman of DAEF, said there had been a big growth in the number of people asking the charity for help.

He added: “Numbers have exploded this month. From running at an average of supplying 60 people per month, in May our figures show it was 280. This increase is putting pressure on our food stocks.

“So we are striving for more donations, with more bins going out, churches stepping up help, schools getting involved, more store visit days at Tesco and now working with Sainsbury’s in Deal and the Co-op.

“Some of the increases in the figures are due to opening two new outlets at Aylesham and in Sandwich and some rises are due to having increased awareness.”

Mr Thompson highlighted the impact of the East Kent Mercury’s front page on May 2, which featured a heartfelt thank you from a mother in desperate need of help.

He added: “Increases also are due to our front-line agency partners like the CAB and Sure Start being more pro-active, as well as changes in welfare reform.”