A donation is going to help those most in need during the coronavirus crisis.

The foodbank, which helps people who cannot make ends meet, had a surge in use at the start of the crisis.

It went from 150 parcels a week to 200 but has dropped since.

It is also helping people who are in lockdown and who cannot get to the shops.

It has received a donation of £30,000 from the Z Zurich Foundation which will go to help those most in need during the Covid-19 crisis.

Isle of Man Foodbank, which is a registered Manx charity run solely by volunteers, has received support from the community over the years in the form of donations of food and essential items from the general public and businesses.

The volume of donations would usually be sufficient to meet demand, but since the pandemic started the number of people needing help has greatly increased.

Peter Huber, the chief executive officer of Zurich International, said: ’This donation is part of Zurich’s global response to the Covid-19 emergency.

’The Z Zurich Foundation - which is Zurich Insurance Group’s charitable foundation - is providing emergency financial support to charities that Zurich’s business units globally have been working with for a long time, to help them navigate through the issues arising from this crisis.

’As part of this response, we are delighted that the foundation has donated £30,000 to our local charity partner, Isle of Man Foodbank, which supports families and individuals with food parcels, and then provides support and guidance to help people get beyond the crisis and plan for a return to independence.’

Neal Mellon, the chief executive of Isle of Man Foodbank, said: ’We are extremely grateful for this very generous donation from the Z Zurich Foundation which will make a significant impact on our work to help those most in need during the current crisis.’ He said that the volunteers had been working longer to ensure all the donations were delivered.

Z Zurich Foundation donations in response to the Covid-19 emergency have supported about 60 charities worldwide so far.

Zurich International employees will be raising funds for Isle of Man Foodbank and the Manx Solidarity Fund, and every pound will be match funded by the foundation.

To offer support for Isle of Man Foodbank, contact 646999 or 311550 or send an email to [email protected]. If you need help from Isle of Man Foodbank call free 0808 1624 610.