A community food project has received a £900 donation.

The Mitcheldean Community Larder makes a wide variety of food available for £5 a bag ahd is open to all.

The £900 donation was made by the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire Charitable Trust which supports community organisations around the county..

Larder Chair Maggie Mortimer said: “We have hidden costs such as insurance but the big one is food.

“Our shopping costs £200 to £250. So we have to subsidise that all the time and that's what it (the donation) will go towards.

“During our first three months we’ve provided approximately 1,970 kilos of food and made over 390 shops by our membership, which now stands at 64. “We have been helped enormously by the Food Bank.

“We would find it much more difficult to provide a wide range without them.

“We also now offer surplus goods from the Gorgeous Food Company which has been a real bonus as they supply farm shops and delicatessens with high quality items.

“Finally, Tesco in Cinderford donates surplus bakery items and fruit/veg., providing variety as well as helping to combat food waste.”

The average value of a bag of food from the Larder is around £20.

It is estimated that between £8,000 and £10,000 will be needed every year to run the initiative.

Andrew Tabor, from the Trust, presented the cheque at one of the Larder’s Friday morning sessions at Mitcheldean Community Centre.

He said: “Our motto ‘For Gloucestershire’ says what we are about.”

“This is replicated all around the county.

“You scratch the surface of this county and there are people like Maggie just working tirelessly.

“Not for reward, not for recognition, but because it's the right thing to do.

“It's not comfortable that some people have to go to food banks and food larders.

“It’s no good thrashing ourselves, and saying it shouldn't happen – it is happening, and therefore, we've got to try and help where we can.”

Mrs Mortimer also thanked the Hearts of Oak pub in Drybrook for its help in fund-raising.

The next fund-raiser will be a “sound bath” with Mrs Mortimer’s daughter Amala on May 9 at the community centre.

It will feature gongs and other percussion.

Amabel trained with the British Academy of Sound Therapy and went on to study Further Gongmastery.

The Larder has been also been working with other bodies.

It distributed Easter eggs donated by the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and bean growing kits provided by the Forest Council.

The Larder is also teaming up with Two Rivers Housing to organise brunch clubs for children and parents during the school holidays.

It will also include activities by Sportily Gloucestershire.

The community centre is also planning to provide soup and a roll lunches after the Larder.

For more details about the sound bath event e-mail [email protected]

To find out more about the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire visit www.honcoglos.org