A foodbank that came about by chance has officially opened to help the most financially deprived families.

The foodbank based at Clementswood Community Centre, Ilford, is run by members of British Asian Christian Association (BACA).

Members decided to apply a for the foodbank via Fareshare, a charity that reallocates donated food from Tesco, Asda and Aldi.

Soon after, they realised that donations from the Tesco Collier Row branch were so large they were surplus to requirements.

Instead, the Redbridge-based charity then decided to hold a weekly foodbank at their community centre from 8.45am to 9.45am on Thursdays and Friday mornings.

Any food left over each day will be redistributed at 3.30pm on a first come first served basis.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Food collections will available on from 8.45am to 9.45am and 3.30pm on Thursdays and Friday mornings

Hannah Chowdhry, from Chigwell, a long term volunteer at British Asian Christian Association, said: "We thank God that he has provided us with this opportunity.

"The surplus food can help really needy families to get the necessary nourishment they need and allow them to save the money that would have been spent on food on other essentials.

"I have known for a long while that our community centre is in one of the most deprived wards in the borough of Redbridge, so we are right in the midst of people that could benefit from such a service.

"We are grateful to Tesco and to Fareshare for their help and hope that our small effort may bring hope to desperate and needy families."

Food can be collected from Clementswood Community Centre, Ilford, which is opposite the Prince of Wales pub on Green Lane.

BACA will expand their foodbank to a daily centre if popular and will take more of food donations from the various Fareshare partners if demand for at our foodbank is popular.

For more details call 0208 500 1192 or email hannah@britishpakistanichristians.org