Young volunteers were giving up their time to help people hit by food poverty after they helped collect two tonnes of food in Helston.

Members of the town’s Rangers and Guides groups were among those in Helston Tesco accepting and weighing items of food donated by customers.

In total, over the course of a Friday and Saturday, two tonnes of goods were collected that will now go to help the work of the Helston and Lizard Food Bank.

Branch co-ordinator Ruth McGurk praised the work of the youngsters, saying: “Without them we wouldn’t have functioned. I have a small and willing band of volunteers, but at this time of year so many people are off visiting their family before Christmas.”

She also thanked all who had donated items, saying: “Thanks to the generosity of local people, especially the lovely Christmas goodies they gave us to go out in the Christmas packages.”

Those struggling to feed themselves or their families over the Christmas period can call into the Mustard Seed in Wendron Street between 10am and noon on Monday, December 22 and Monday, December 29.

People need to have a voucher given to them by an appropriate agency such as a doctor, children’s centre, police officer or the job centre, although Mrs McGurk said she would never turn someone away and would assess each case even if they had no voucher.

Donations are stored in the charity’s warehouse, based on the premises of ShelterBox on the Water-ma-Trout industrial estate, which they allow the use of for free – something Mrs McGurk described as “invaluable.”

The charity will be open as normal again after the Christmas break, on Monday, January 5. It gives out food every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, between 10am and 2pm.

There is also a Mullion collection point for people who need food. Opening times are Thursday between 9am and noon, at Mullion Methodist Chapel. During Christmas week only it will be Christmas Eve instead.