A LOCAL rugby club has collected 502kg of donations to help food those struggling in Ringwood and the surrounding area.

Ellingham and Ringwood Rugby Club set up a collection point for donations for Ringwood Foodbank in April as a way of supporting the charity during the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative is being led by the club’s director of rugby, Mark Johnson, who said: “Word is gradually spreading and so each week I see one or two new / different people dropping off. There are some who drop a bit every week and others who drop a big amount once.”

The club car park drop-off point for food donations will be open every Saturday morning form 9am to 12pm for the foreseeable future.

Ringwood Food Bank not only serves Ringwood but also has distribution centres in Fordingbridge and Verwood.

In March, Ringwood Foodbank provided food for 353 people – an increase of 31 per cent compared to March last year.