HUNDREDS of impoverished children were forced to rely on handouts to avoid going hungry as Colchester’s foodbank experienced its busiest ever month.

The charity revealed it helped to feed 386 children and 523 adults across November - and bosses are tipping this month to be even busier.

The central aim of Colchester Foodbank, which hands out food packages to people living in poverty, is to reach a point where its services are no longer needed.

But its chief officer Mike Beckett revealed his team of 150 volunteers has never been further away from achieving that goal.

“November won’t remain our busiest month ever for very much longer,” he said.

“The Friday before Christmas was the busiest we have ever had.

“We had 45 vouchers in from families and this was our biggest single day.

“The biggest previous to that was 39 vouchers on the Friday before Christmas last year.”

In November the foodbank’s client list exceeded 900 for the first time.

The organisation has expanded, taking on a warehouse in Langham to add to its storage space.

Mr Beckett said: “It won’t be the last time we exceed 900 clients because December is typically busier than November.

“We have more volunteers than ever before, more clients than ever before and more donations than ever before.

“In terms of our main goal of closing down due to lack of demand – we have never been further away from this.”

The upward trend in reliance on food banks is felt across the country.

Between April 2018 and March 2019, the 1,200 Trussel Trust foodbanks provided a record 1.6 million food supplies to people in crisis, a 19 per cent increase on the previous year.

Mr Beckett said while it is difficult to be optimistic about the figures, he remains a “pragmatist.”

He said: “I just try to do what I can.

“We look at what tweaks and changes we can make and review the service we offer to make sure we help people where we can.

“We can’t cure poverty, but we can make it a little better.

“The amazing generosity of the people of Colchester is what keeps us going.

“I am staggered by how generous and supportive they are.”