A charity has given the Foodbank 10 slow cookers.

The Isle of Man Foodbank was founded in 2013 and helps poorer members of the community with donations of food.

It now has its office and operation at Ballafletcher House, Ballafletcher Farm Road, Cronkbourne.

The Rotary Club of Rushen and Western Mann has donated 10 slow cookers to the Foodbank and they were presented by president Paul Winnnell to Neal Mellon, managing director of the charity at their Cronkbourne premises.

Mr Winnell commented: ’The Foodbank is a very worthy cause, fully deserving the support of our Rotary Club.

’On behalf of the members it is my privilege to hand over the slow cookers and we hope they will help many families to work their way out of a difficult time, often not of their own creation.

’Their crisis is our opportunity to help, through support of the Foodbank.’

Mr Mellon said: ’Times are hard, many people are "just about managing" so when a crisis occurs such as redundancy, illness or possibly a domestic situation, everything becomes impossible to manage.

’That’s why Foodbank exists. We provide emergency food and, in many cases help clients to identify and resolve underlying problems by advising them of other support organisations such as Salvation Army, Debt Management, Social Services and Housing Matters, in a bid to get them back to independence.’

Neal listed other projects in which the Foodbank is involved:

Providing a conduit to minimise food waste by working with local supermarkets and food retailers.

Working with the probation service to build skills and get people back in work.

Working with the police to enable them to provide food parcels in emergency situations.

Basic skills in cookery training and the provision of slow cookers.

Foodbank allotment for training opportunities involving students from University College Isle of Man in growing fresh produce.

Working with schools to address ’holiday hunger’ and ’breakfast clubs’.