A BUSY food bank project that supports hundreds of families every week is appealing for a plot of land to grow fresh fruit and vegetables for its users.

Darlington Foodstore Network, which has five distribution points across the town, is looking for a plot of land around three quarters, to one-and-a-half acres in size to cultivate and grow fresh produce on.

The network supports around 300 people every week, and hands out around 100 emergency food parcels each week to people at its hub at King’s Church, in Whessoe Road.

Kelvin Marsh, chief executive of the network, said: “We are getting busier, and we are finding that we are getting busier with people who are wrongly billed as the working poor – they are not the working poor, they are the hardworking disadvantaged.

“People are having to make the choice between putting food on the table or heating the house. People shouldn’t have to live like this.

“We are incredibly blessed as a food bank in that we do very well for donations.

“The food bags that we give out are checked by an NHS nutritionist, but one of the things that is sometimes an issue is a constant supply of fresh fruit and vegetables.

“This will help people to get their five-a-day."

Mr Marsh said the land will be maintained by volunteers and those who have been helped by the food bank, with food grown at the site being shared between the network’s five distribution points across the town.

“It can take people hours before they pluck up the courage to come in to the food bank. And often the first thing they ask is if there is anything they can do to give something back,” he said.

“This will give people the chance to give something back and help involve them in growing the food they receive.

“For people who do not have their own garden, I would happily give them a corner of the land to look after themselves.”

The network currently has a number of planters at King’s Church, which have been developed with help from Darlington Rotary Club.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mr Marsh on 07723-806-816 or email kelvin.marsh@foodstorenetwork.org