THIS week we received a very generous donation, which has brought us closer to our target.

Lands Improvement, which acquires land and makes it suitable for building before selling it on to developers, has donated £500 towards the appeal.

The company is developing 53 acres of land in Ipswich Road, Colchester, which used to be the home of toothpaste manufacturer Albea.

Gazette:

Development and planning manager KateTurner said: “At this point in the project we work with the community and we wanted to support a local charity, rather than just developing in the area.

“Christmas isahard time for lots of people.

“We are delighted to support the food bank. It is a great cause.”

Representatives from the charity visited the Food Bank to drop off the donation and will also to spendaday volunteering there in the new year.

One mother who has used Colchester Food Bank, who asked to remain anonymous, has spoken of how food handouts have helped her young family.

She said: “Food Bank helped us when we had nowhere to turnand no moneyat all. We have two young children and there are times when we had to choose between food and heating.

“Without the Food Bank the reality is, in the cold, that we would have to choose to put money on the gas and electric meters and be without food, so I am eternally grateful.

“It means my children have had a meal everyday and theydid not have to be exposed to our money worries.”

To donate to the campaign visit http://www.justgiving.com/Colchester-Food-Bank