A group of medical healthcare professionals will donate a day's work as part of a big effort to help feed people in crisis this Christmas.
The County Chiropractic based at Marsh Barton team will deliver a parcel of food items - equal to the value of their payment for patient care - to the Exeter Foodbank next week.
The initiative is part of a new 'Care and Share in the Community' campaign to support almost 400 food banks across the country.
Rachael Dunn DC, the lead chiropractor and owner of County Chiropractor, said: "We support many local charities, but when we heard about the Care and Share in the Community campaign we thought it was a fantastic way to be able to help even more people in our community. Christmas can be a tough time of year. It really is a time for giving and we feel this campaign will make all the difference for some families. "
Shoppers at Tesco branches across the city are supporting a nationwide bid with food banks to collect 10 million meals for those in need by the end of the year.
Kevin Proudman, president of the United Chiropractic Association (UCA), said: "The foodbank network is a great charity for us to be supporting. From our point of view, healing isn't just about individuals; it's about healing in society and this campaign is one of the ways that we can help towards that.
"This is a big contribution that our members will be making to their local community and we're delighted to be involved in this way."
According to the food bank charity Trussell Trust, the rising costs of food and fuel combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more people to turn to the centre for help.
Mark Ward, head of fundraising at the Trussell Trust, said: "The situation is actually getting worse. We fed 100,000 people in a two-month period this summer – and that's at a time when there is less pressure on heating bills. This is a tough time for a lot of people in our communities."
In 2012-13 food banks fed 346,992 people in the UK. including 126,889 children. One in five people in the UK – 13 million – currently live below the poverty line.
Mr Ward added: "The fact that the UCA campaign day is just before Christmas is helpful because there are additional pressures on foodbanks at that time and people have the 'heat or eat' dilemma. Plus it's a time when people are thinking about what Christmas holds for them and they stop to consider other people in the community."
People can donate money by texting 'text FBUK13' plus the amount e.g. £1 or £10 to 70070.
