Froxfield residents, their village shop and the local councillor have come together to stock up a food bank, helping hundreds in their hour of need.

The owner of Froxfield Village Stores has played a leading role in raising money and buying food for the Petersfield food bank, which has helped struggling local families during the pandemic.

Howard Bevis has collected donations from his customers, used his status as a shop owner to buy wholesale groceries and received a £600 grant from his local East Hampshire District councillor Nick Drew.

Elaine Knox, chair of the trustees for Petersfield food bank, said: “Howard has been an absolute star for us.

“He has really stepped up, going to the cash and carry and buying bulk, which we wouldn’t be able to do.

“It is marvellous how generous his customers have been, not only giving him donations of food but also money.

“We can then send him off with a shopping list to get the items we’re missing.”

The pandemic tested families to the limit and the food bank, run out of the Methodist Church in Station Road, Petersfield, saw the number of food parcels given out sky rocket from 319 in 2019 to more than 1,000 in 2020.

Howard said: “During the lockdown the number of people using the food bank shot up and it was clear they needed help, so I volunteered to collect for them. Owning a shop made it easy for me to collect food.

“And my customers were brilliant – they donated food and money to us stock up the food bank.

“Councillor Drew also gave us £600 and that was a huge help.

“It is so important to support the local food bank because you never know when you might need some support yourself.

“One wrong turn in life and it could be any of us using a food bank.

“That’s why it is so vital to help people when they’re in need.”

Cllr Drew, the member for Froxfield, added: “Howard and the residents of Froxfield have been dedicated and generous in their support of the Petersfield food bank and I am proud to have been able to grant them £600 from my councillor grant fund.”