THE people of Swindon are amazingly generous. These are the words of Swindon Food Bank manager Andrew Hill.

In the 10 years the food bank has been operating, tens of thousands of items of food have been donated by people around the town.

Many of them don’t have a lot to spare themselves, but nevertheless think of others and are willing to share what they do have.

This year, the good people at the food bank are asking us to go one step further - by sticking a £1 coin or 50p to the cans we donate to help with their running costs.

It costs £65,000 a year to keep the Swindon Food Bank going — a service which is a lifeline to so many.

Some of us know what it’s like to go without, but for many of us it’s impossible to imagine the anguish when we can’t feed ourselves, or worse, our families.

There is enough wealth in this land of ours to make sure nobody goes hungry.

No family should be impoverished to such a degree that the cupboards are empty and no child should know what it’s like to go hungry.

It is tragic that in a first world country in the 21st century, despite a welfare state, employment law, a nation health service and a free education, we still find ourselves in the situation whereby some people simply cannot get enough food without the help of others.

However, given that this is, for so many, the truth of the situation, we must be proud, and thankful, that places like Swindon Food Bank exist.

We salute Andrew Hill and the many volunteers at Swindon Food Bank. We are proud of each and every one of you.

And most of all, we are proud that Mr Hill is right — the people of Swindon are amazingly generous.