SCHOOLS and churches collected more than six tonnes of food for the Blackburn Foodbank during their harvest festival campaigns.

It means the organisation will be able to provide 15,500 meals to some of the town’s poorest people over the winter period.

Ros Duerden, from the foodbank, praised the two nurseries, 40 primary schools, three secondaries and 17 churches for their fantastic contribution.

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She said: “We have had a phenomenal response.

“We have six-and-a-half tonnes of food which is just amazing.

“The schools and churches have really come up trumps this year.

“One of the things that is very interesting is that the schools in the areas where we support the most, people have been the most generous.

“That is amazing because they are the people that truly understand the pressures. It is really heartwarming.”

Mrs Duerden said she wrote to potential donors in the summer suggesting items which could be sent in, including fruit and vegetables to keep with the harvest theme.

She said the huge number of donations meant food could be provided to people who would otherwise go hungry over the festive period.

Mrs Duerden said: “If we do not have food donations, we have to buy it, so this takes the pressure off.

“We have been very busy over the summer and we anticipate being even busier over the winter.

“We do not want people having to make a choice between putting the heating on and eating.

“Neither being cold or hungry is good for your health and that goes for parents and children.

“We hope that we can be part of the solution.”