A NOT-for-profit restaurant providing second chances for people struggling to find employment is extending its generosity to help those finding it hard to provide food for their families.

The Fork in the Road restaurant first opened its doors in December 2016 and gives opportunities to former prisons and recovering addicts who are finding it hard to find work otherwise.

The Linthorpe Road eatery, in Middlesbrough, has now announced it will act as a drop-off point for the town's foodbank network in a bid to help more members of the community who have fallen on hard times.

The restaurant, founded by charity leader Andy Preston, will take in donations for Middlesbrough Foodbank, which is funded by churches and community groups in the area.

Mr Preston said: “We’re pleased and proud to support Middlesbrough Foodbank and act as a collection point for much needed donations.

"The people of Middlesbrough are incredibly generous and I know they will continue to help those who need a little extra help at difficult times.

“The Fork in the Road is based on charity – so when the opportunity arose to help the local foodbank I knew it was a great thing to do”

Members of the public will be able to drop off their donations seven days a week during open hours.

The Fork in the Road’s fresh produce supplier, Country Valley Foods, of Billingham, is also pledging to help the cause by volunteering to forward collections from the restaurant to Skippers Lane.

James Munro, managing director of Country Valley Foods, said: “When we heard that Andy was going to use The Fork in the Road as drop off point for the foodbank, we didn’t hesitate to offer our support.

"We are always impressed with the worthy projects that the restaurant undertakes, and this is no exception, so we are glad to offer our help.”

Many charities, agencies, housing associations and other organisations in the North-East are invested in the Middlesbrough Foodbank network and issue vouchers for the bank to those in need.

Soroush Sadeghzadeh, project manager at Middlesbrough Foodbank, said: “To have a drop-off point that is open seven days a week in the town centre is a great opportunity for those who want to be involved in the work and support the local community.

“We’re so thankful to Andy Preston and everyone else involved in organising this, as well as all our supporters without whom we wouldn’t be able to provide emergency food for those in crisis.

"We’re hoping this would help us raise much-needed donations, particularly during the summer months when we see an increase in the number of clients.

"We really appreciate Country Valley Foods’ offer to deliver the food as it will allow us to focus our resources on serving the clients.”

Items currently on the network's urgently-needed list include tinned tomatoes, tinned meats, long-life milk and fruit juice and coffee.

For more information, visit middlesbrough.foodbank.org.uk