A SATELLITE soup kitchen has opened to help the growing number of people across Barrow at financial crisis point.

The borough's second community kitchen opened its doors between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday afternoon at the Leonard Cheshire Centre, in Central Drive, Walney.

Run by kindhearted volunteers John Wright and Sharon Foden, it will welcome anyone who would like a hot meal and the chance to sit down, meet other people and socialise.

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The pair will continue to run the Barrow Community Kitchen each Sunday afternoon from the town's St Matthew's Hall, in Highfield Road which now caters for 60 people every week.

Ms Foden said: "We've opened the second community kitchen on Walney because we know a lot of people are coming to us from there already so there is a need in the area.

"Things are getting more difficult out there for people. They have been suffering in silence for too long.

"The government don't care that people are starving. It's up to us to look after our own."

Barrow Community Kitchen was set up in January in response to increasing numbers of people being issued with benefits sanctions.

It left families struggling to find enough money to buy food each week while others experienced loneliness and social isolation.

To help, the community kitchen volunteers have been sending out food parcels to those on the breadline using spare groceries left over each week.

Mr Wright said: "We started sending the food parcels out in June, we've done about 60 so far.

"It's not just people on benefits who are finding it difficult now either, we have some people who come to us who work full time.

"But once they have paid their rent and bills, there's nothing left.

"You don't need a referral to come to us. Just turn up, no-one gets quizzed at the door."

Donations are now being sought by the group to help cover the cost of storage for donated food, a bill that amounts to £100 a month.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mr Wright through the group's Facebook page.

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