A Maldon councillor has spoken of the need for a new foodbank in the town.

Councillor Carlie Mayes spoke about her realisation that more people in the town needed help with food supplies than she had previously thought after delivering Christmas food hampers to residents as part of the town council's Christmas Hamper Project.

The project received funding from Essex County Council to put the hampers together. A total of 130 were delivered across the town, with 77 going to families and the rest received by couples and individuals.

To be eligible to receive one of the hampers, recipients had to be in receipt of Government benefit, such as universal credit and live in Maldon town. They also had to be people who had not received a food hamper or parcel already.

Speaking at a full meeting of Maldon Town Council last night (Monday, 1 February), Cllr Mayes said: "Some of the residents were in tears when we took the hampers to them.

"I was surprised that Maldon North ward had the highest number of recipients when some other areas of the town appear to have higher levels of deprivation. There are residents in need of help with food supplies and their needs are just not being met at the moment.

"We need to look at what the long-term solution is for a proper foodbank."

Cllr Mayes will now look at the issue with the council's health and wellbeing working group with a view to putting forward a proposal to the town council, to see whether there is any help or support the authority can offer.

Maldon News reported last week how the numbers of people claiming unemployment benefit in the district have almost trebled in the past year. You can read that story here.