Generous worshippers at a Birmingham mosque have donated 2.5 tonnes of food to a leading Midlands charity to help people in need.

The Central Food Bank, based at Birmingham Central Mosque, has been collecting food donated by the local community and given the massive stock of provisions to Trident Reach the People Charity.

The items – including rice, oil, flour, pasta, cereal and tinned vegetables – will be added to Trident Reach’s own food bank, which distributes relief parcels to those in need of help and support.

Trident Reach supports vulnerable people across the region, including those at risk of homelessness, older people, young people, women fleeing domestic abuse and people with learning disabilities.

The charity launched its food and furniture bank in April 2011 to give a helping hand to customers setting up in a new home. It has already helped 250 people and families across the West Midlands, Shropshire, Derbyshire and surrounding areas.

It has proved so successful that the charity recently had to appeal for more donations of food and furniture, to keep up with demand.

Members of the community have been leaving donations of food at Birmingham Central Mosque for the last few weeks, after a group of friends hit upon the idea of building up the Central Food Bank – a stock of provisions to distribute to local people in need.

Central Food Bank coordinator Zuhair Girach said: “There is increasing poverty around the city and we want to help feed those people, while raising awareness of this growing problem.

“Members of our community are very giving and have been very generous, and we plan to continue donating food to Trident Reach on a regular basis.
“We are also asking people to donate toiletries as well because, for example, a woman who has run away from home to escape domestic violence may not even have a toothbrush – she may well have nothing but the clothes she is wearing.”

Rajbir Shergill, Head of Tenancy Support at Trident Reach, said: “We are very grateful to the Central Food Bank and the local community for this very generous donation, which has given us a fantastic boost.

“A lot of our customers come to us with nothing but, thanks to donations such as this, we can give them a vital helping hand while they get settled and get any benefits sorted out that they may be entitled to.”

Trident Reach welcomes donations of food, furniture, kitchen appliances, bedding, cutlery, crockery and other household items. It is particularly in need of beds and mattresses.

To donate items, take them to Trident House in Granville Square, Birmingham city centre, or call 0121 226 5812.