The number of people seeking help at the Cromer and district foodbank rose by 15pc this year.

And it is one of the seven community organisations benefiting from a combined £18,166 windfall in the latest round of grants from the Victory Housing Community Fund.

The foodbank received £5,000 to support the cost of two part-time project managers to help the 100plus volunteers keep the organisation running.

After distributing over 30 tonnes of food to people in crisis last year through its network of distribution centres in Cromer, North Walsham, Aylsham, Sheringham and Holt, demand for help from the foodbank is as urgent as ever.

During that period the organisation gave emergency three-day food supplies to 2,858 people, of which over 1,000 were children, across an area stretching 200 square miles in north Norfolk.

Foodbank chairman Pete Wenham said: 'The number of people seeking our help has grown by 15pc in 2017. Around 40pc of the money needed to keep the organisation going comes from individual fundraising, and the rest from grants such as this one.'

The other organisations receiving support include Age UK Norfolk, £5,000 towards dementia friendly work in north Norfolk.

The Magdalene Group Norfolk received £2,366 towards a supported home for female care leavers affected by sexual exploitation.

Meanwhile, Felmingham village hall received £2,000 towards repairs while Neatishead Parish Council received £2,000 to buy play equipment.

Latched On in Holt, the new breastfeeding cafe/clinic in the town, received £1,000 and North Walsham Bowls & Snooker Club, £800 to replace chairs.

The grants bring the total handed out by the fund to £405,549 across 148 grants since it was established in 2008.

Trust chief executive John Archibald said: 'Once again we are delighted to be giving out grants to some of the most deserving and hard-working voluntary groups.

'Our grants panel has allocated funds to a variety of organisations doing different things. All have in common the fact that they are contributing so much to our communities.'

Christmas is the peak period for demand at the foodbank and donations of food and money can be made at www.cromerdistrict.foodbank.org.uk