A MUM who struggled to feed her children 14 years ago is setting up West Oxfordshire’s first food bank.

Joanne Cypher, 37, said despite the district’s affluent image, it had “pockets of deprivation” and some parents were struggling to feed their children.

She is now calling for other volunteers to help out.

Food banks across the county have seen a year-on-year increase in the demand for food parcels.

Mrs Cypher, a mum of four, found herself in financial trouble after splitting with her then husband and waiting for benefits to come through.

She said: “There were many times when I did not know what we were going to have for tea. It was horrible. You are too frightened or too guilty to ask people for help – too frightened to say you have not got a piece of bread to feed your children with.

“If it had not been for the support of my friends and family, my children would have gone to their father and I would been six foot under. It got that bad.

“I have now come out the other side, but I know there are other families that continue to struggle and my heart goes out to them.”

Full-time mum Mrs Cypher said her experiences had inspired her to help. She hopes her group will gain charity status and start work by the end of the year.

She currently has three volunteers involved in the project, but is looking for others to help distribute food and for a base to operate from.

Robin Aitken, of The Oxford Foodbank, which delivers £350,000 of food each year, said they would help Mrs Cypher get started. He said: “We have always said we would be only too happy to help anyone else set up a similar scheme.”

West Oxfordshire Citizens Advice Bureau deputy manager Lisa Hones said: “Another food bank would be a fantastic idea.

“There is no proper food bank set up in Witney and we receive our food parcels from the North Oxfordshire Food Bank, which is based in Kidlington.

“West Oxfordshire is seen as an affluent area but there are pockets of deprivation.

“We have got through a lot of parcels recently.

“We see people who have got into difficulties when there is a changes in their circumstances or problems with their benefits and they have no finances to fall back on.

“They are in a desperate situation, with a family to feed and nothing in the house.”

l To help Mrs Cypher set up the food bank, call her on 07805 217087 or email joanne.

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