CHEPSTOW Foodbank volunteers say they are in desperate need of more storage as the number of people turning to it for help increases.

Since its official opening in January the Foodbank has given emergency food parcels to more than 600 people – 200 of who were children.

The Foodbank, which was set up by Churches Together in Chepstow, currently stores food in the Town Arch and the Herbert Lewis store in High Street.

Food is distributed from the Gatehouse in High Street on Mondays between 10am and 1pm and on Wednesdays between the same hours from the Bridge Church in Bulwark.

People have to be referred from agencies such as social services and receive three days' worth of nutritious food.

Volunteer Ron Murphy addressed Chepstow Town Council setting out the Foodbank's need for more space.

He said: "Since January we have fed more than 600 people and more than 200 of them were children.

"We apologise for our success because it is based on the crises of desperate people.

"We have had support from the (Bridge) Church in Bulwark, from the town council and from Herbert Lewis.

"We are grateful for the support of the broader community from all areas but we are disappointed that a number of movers and shakers have been ambivalent - but we shall leave that to their consciences.

"We have a collection at Tesco on July 5 and 6 – we might collect 1.5 tonnes of food but have nowhere to store it."

Mr Murphy said they were hoping to get a store of between 250ft2 and 500ftsq2 and, ideally, where distribution could also take place.

He said: "The majority of the people who come to the Foodbank use public transport so it would be advantageous if it were on a bus route."

The Foodbank is appealing for volunteers who can spare a few hours a week for jobs from sorting food to meeting clients and taking part in supermarket collections.

Volunteers from the Chepstow and Forest Foodbanks will be at Tesco in Chepstow and Lydney between 10am and 4pm on Friday and 9am and 5pm on Saturday handing out shopping lists to shoppers with a request to buy an item from the list.

The Foodbank can be contacted by calling 07507 468396 or e-mailing [email protected]">[email protected].