A HALSTEAD resident has made their largest ever charitable donation to the Braintree Area Foodbank.

Victoria Akrill, 33, is regular member of the Halstead community but recently collected £350 for her latest food bank donations.

Regularly donating to the food bank's Halstead branch at St Andrew's Church since 2014, Victoria's most recent contribution this Christmas is at least £75 greater than any other she's made before.

Speaking about her record donation, Victoria said: "It's important because in December we do struggle a lot more. There are a lot more financial burdens.

"I do it because I think every child deserves a present at Christmas, no one deserves nothing. I just wanted to help".

Victoria collected the money by receiving donations from multiple sources including a whip-round at a Halstead pub and was especially thankful to Bliss Driving School, her friends and family and their colleagues, and even a £150 from an anonymous donor.

Once the money was collected, Victoria spent every penny on items requested by the food bank for the Christmas period.

Such items included 56 chocolate Santas, 30 bottles of shampoo, over 100 cans of food, 30 cartons of juice and much more.

In a statement, Maggie Drewett from the food bank said: "Braintree Area Foodbank, covering all the towns and villages in the Braintree District, has been overwhelmed by the donations we have received, especially over the last three weeks.

"We would like to publicly thank everyone who has generously donated both money and food, from the single donation of £350 worth of food items, to the schools, churches, companies, Rotarians and Masons, across the district and the youngsters who have saved their pocket money and gone without themselves to help make someone else's life more bearable by enabling those in crisis to have food and other Christmas items.

"Having seen a 36% increase of those in food poverty, compared to the same period last year, we know that all the generous donations by the marvellous folk from Braintree, Halstead, Witham and surrounding villages, will be gratefully received by those in need. Thank you everyone."