A new foodbank has officially opened in Bushey.

The foodbank, which will run every Friday at the Church House near St James’s Church is run by The Red Trust – a charity based in the Little Reddings area.

Anne Underwood, 58, from Church Walk in Bushey, works for the charity and said the closest foodbank to the people of Bushey is either in Borehamwood or Watford.

She said: “Both of these foodbanks are a bus journey away and if people cannot afford food they are probably not going to be able to get to these foodbanks.

“I think in an area like Bushey people think it is very affluent but there are some areas, like everywhere, where people cannot afford food.

“Little Reddings School decided to give their harvest collection to our foodbank and we thought about how we could make the foodbank more accessible for people who need it.”

On Friday last week the foodbank was officially opened but only one family man came to collect food.

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But Miss Underwood believes there are still people in the Bushey area who need to use the foodbank.

Miss Underwood said: “January is a hard month for everyone and it is a very long one.

“We have taken advice from the National Trust to provide a range of foods for people who might need them.”

Miss Underwood has been in contact with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Bushey and they said most of the people who come to them for employment were those on benefits.

The foodbank will be open every Friday from February and is run by up to eight volunteers but people in the community have said they will get involved and help as much as possible.

The Red Trust is currently on a six month contract with the church house to see whether the foodbank is needed in the area.

If so, the foodbank will continue to work to provide food for those who need it in Bushey.