The couple that run a free food service based in Chipping Sodbury have thanked the community for stepping up to support them with their project after they have been inundated with offers of help.

Aimee and Dan Waters have been running Family Food 4 Free from their home in Woodman’s Road, Chipping Sodbury, since the beginning of lockdown and rely solely on donations of surplus food from local stores and the generosity of residents.

Over the past fortnight the couple have been overwhelmed with the extra help they have received for FF4F, following their appearance on the BBC tv show The One show where they won an award for the work they do to support their community.

During half term week the team gave out 448 meals to local schoolchildren and delivered 35 emergency packs to families in need.

Christian Pratten, used his pocket money to fill a box with essentials for a vulnerable family. The kind-hearted child was making a reverse advent calendar and as such was supposed to put an item in each day throughout November but, got excited and filled the box in one go.

His family had been forced to use the service during lockdown and had found themselves in the position of being able to pay it forward.

Mum Carina said: “We have been fortunate enough to be helped by this amazing family at family food for free, and wanted to be able to give a little back.”

The team have had a semi-permanent tent erected in their Garden by Danco so they can continue their pop-up shop throughout the winter.

Hotpoint Factory Outlet in Yate, kindly refunded generous resident Sharon Hole, after she took the family to the store and paid for a fridge for the project.

Local electrical supplier GDL gifted the family lighting for the tent and Electricians Lee Ralph and Rob Grimstead from RG Installation Services Ltd gave their services for free to install the lights and an outside socket to run the fridge.

Aimee said: “We’ve been extremely impressed of the support and grateful that the community are all pulling together to make even more of a difference which is delightful to see.

Schools in the area including St Mary’s Primary and Abbotswood Primary are asking for donations of longlife food to further aid the vital service.

Aimee added: “We are so grateful to local companies Murray hire and the staff at Skylard Rehabilitation for food, the local volunteers who make food every day and to everyone who has donated money- together we will get through this.”