A DRIVE to prevent stocks at Clacton’s vital foodbank from running out takes place tomorrow.

Demands on foodbanks across Tendring have increased as families struggle with benefits cuts and pay-day loans.

Tendring Council is joining forces with the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and the fire service for a special Community Food Drive Donation Day at Sainsbury’s, in High Street, from 10am to 7pm on Friday.

Spokesman Diane Boyd said: “It is evident that so many families are in crisis.

“The Winter Warmers project was set up to help people with warm clothing, but it highlighted the fact that people are suffering from fuel poverty, from sanctions on their benefits and from pay-day loans.

“People don’t have the money left to pay for basic food products and we are trying to help them with long-life food to support them and help protect them from malnutrition.

“We are talking about families with little children. Malnutrition has a huge impact on these families, with people unable to go to work through illness, especially at this time of year.”

A ‘shopping list’ of long-life, non-perishable food will be displayed at the store.