An under pressure service says it's being "pushed to its limits" as more needy residents turn to it for help.

Medway Foodbank, located on the city estate in Strood, warns it is expecting a tough winter after the national furlough scheme stopped.

Katya Fowler from KMTV reports on the effect of ending the scheme

Bosses are worried families will be caught in "a perfect, poverty storm" as nearly a million people were still getting the government support to the end.

Companies across the country were able to keep workers on with the help, but many will now have tough choices to make.

Volunteer Lorraine Schulze said: "We have been pushed to our limits at the moment. It is just so many things happening for families already to cope with, it is very difficult to see how they are going to manage."

The government scheme was brought in to help businesses afford to keep staff on by initially paying 80% of their wages before this dropped to 60%. Since its launch in March last year, it has helped 11 million people across the UK.

It is not only the end to furlough that Lorraine mentions but the national insurance increase, fuel cap changes and the ridding of the £20 benefits uplift which will cause difficulties for people.

She added: "We are ringing every client to make sure they really need their food which many of them do. We hope that we will continue to have the support of the local community whether that is by donating food or funds."

Part of a nationwide network of 428 banks, the Medway branch is funded by churches and community groups as they aim to stop hunger in the area by providing three-day emergency food to those in need.

The food bank has seen an increase of 60-70% of requests than before the pandemic and said they are desperate for donations.

For more information on how to help, visit the website medway.foodbank.org.uk.

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