A CHARITY helping to support struggling people with food parcels has been given a helping hand by an MP.

Helen Goodman, the Bishop Auckland MP, visited the Shildon Alive! scheme run by St John’s Church, in the town.

The church project has distributed over 1,000 meals in the last three months to people with low or no incomes for a variety of reasons.

Ms Goodman packed food parcels to prepare them for distribution and she spoke to the volunteers who help to run the service.

She said: “Shildon Alive! is one of the best examples of a community in action I have seen.”

The Shildon Alive! project offers volunteering opportunities in two community gardens, a credit union and an alcoholic’s support group along with many other schemes.

The group has also donated £2,500 to Sunnydale Community College, in Shildon, so pupils could build a sensory garden.

Reverend David Tomlinson, of St John’s Church, said: “Over the years the people of Shildon have weathered tough times but they came through by standing together.

“Shildon Alive! is making it possible for local people to really make a difference.”