THE real meaning of community spirit was shown on Saturday when Bournemouth residents worked to save donations from a flood-hit foodbank.

People from across the town, Bournemouth North Rotary Club members and churchwardens came together to move shelving and food and drink items from water-damaged rooms at St Andrew’s Church, on Millhams Avenue.

Just a few weeks ago, due to bouts of heavy rain over the Christmas and New Year period, the community foodbank in Kinson was affected when the floors filled with water and everything needed to be moved from the lower level of the church’s offices.

Simon Wareham, churchwarden, said: “The downstairs was completely unusable, after it flooded on Christmas Eve, which damaged the main rooms used by the foodbank.”

He added: “The carpets were completely saturated and at its height, the water was coming over the bottom step of the staircase leading to the downstairs.

“We got the water completely cleared by around Sunday, December 29, but just a few days later, it flooded again.

“So we have had the pumps working all the time to draw the water off the floors, because the other downstairs rooms are used as a source of income for us, when they are used for events and community groups.”

Malcolm Jeffries, from Bournemouth North Rotary Club, said: “We at the Rotary Club wanted to do our bit to help, so around 10 or 12 of us went along on Saturday and helped to physically move foodbank’s things.

“We also had contact with a group of local young people, known as Urban Ripple, who gave donations to the foodbank as well.”

Donations are being welcomed by the volunteers at the community foodbank, based at St Andrew’s Church.

Items requested include UHT or powdered milk, cereal, tinned soup, vegetables, fruit, meat or fish, cartons of fruit juice, tea and coffee, pasta and rice, sugar and biscuits.

For more information, contact the foodbank on 01202 570010.