TRAVEL and tourism students have being helping the needy after collecting a mountain of items and £200 for a foodbank.

The year two Redcar and Cleveland College students and their tutors held the fundraising day as part of their course to assist those less fortunate than themselves in the Redcar area.

They marketed the event around college, collected hundreds of non-perishable food items, and even made cakes and sweet parcels to sell on their fundraising stall.

The food will be donated to the Redcar Area Foodbank, while the cash will be used to buy essential items.

Student Alisha Playforth said: “We have had a great response, with so many students and tutors offering us food items and money to help those in need.

“I think people can really relate to this charity because it’s so local and food is a basic requirement we all need. The offers of support have been tremendous.”

Ruth Fox, manager of Footprints in the Community, which is the umbrella group that manages Redcar Area Foodbank, said: “It’s lovely to see young people fundraising and doing their bit to help people less fortunate than themselves.

“Since the Redcar Area Food Bank opened two years ago, 7,500 people have benefitted from its support and the need is just as great now as it was when it started.”

Go to www.redcararea.foodbank.org.uk for more information.