A hugely successful food club in Barrow town centre has announced it is opening a second branch on Barrow Island.

The Well Fed Food Club has been running in Greengate Street since September last year – providing about 30 to 40 families with much-needed food supplies.

The club was set up by Ashleigh Jordan Carr, who saw a rising demand for necessities after the Covid-19 outbreak last year.

She said: “The first food club has proved to be really successful and made a lot of difference to people’s lives.

“Every week the people coming in are so thankful to fill their cupboards with healthier options and know they’re going to be okay that week.

“For a lot of members, the club is their only form of interaction with other people so there’s a real community spirit.”

After noticing a rise in demand, the club decided to expand by opening a second base at Bram Longstaffe Community Hub on Barrow Island.

Miss Carr said: “We did start to see the demand increase so rather than make our food club bigger, with lockdown and social distancing, we thought it was probably better to start a new club somewhere different.

“A lot of our members walk or cycle from Barrow Island to use our club on Greengate Street, so we know there is a high demand for our services on Barrow Island.

“We’re aiming to set up the club at Bram Longstaffe like a shop – people can fill their bags up while also getting that social interaction.

“Hopefully we'll get tea and coffee facilities set up and also offer our support to anyone that needs it.”

Miss Carr said the club’s main aims are to tackle food poverty in the town; reduce food waste; help those struggling with addiction issues; and provide support to their members.

She said: “As well as providing people with food bags, we also hope to provide people with support and interventions and linking people with the right services that they may need.”

The second club is opening from Monday between 1pm and 3pm and costs just £3 for a weekly membership.