NEXT week will see the launch of Marlow's first ever crisis foodbank, with the Mayor saying she was shocked to discover the number of families in the town struggling to put food on the table.

In partnership with Wycombe-based charity One Can Trust, volunteers are setting up a collection point for those residents badly needing help to feed themselves and their families.

The foodbank charity, which helps struggling people in the Wycombe area back on their feet, say it is not a new problem, with 92 food drops made to SL7 postcodes this year alone - up from 28 in 2013.

Despite being an affluent town, the trust say there are residents in Marlow who need help - a stark contrast to the town’s recent status as one of the UK’s top ten most glamorous places to live.

And with limited volunteer time for deliveries, charitable Marlovians are helping to set up a collection point at Marlow Methodist Church for those unable to afford to get to Wycombe to pick up the badly-needed help.

Mayor Brown saying she put herself forward after hearing about the extent of the problem after former High Wycombe Mayor Trevor Snaith named it as one of his key charities.

She said: "The organisation came up to me and told me about the need in Marlow. I had no idea, so of course I said I wanted to help.

"I was surprised, and everyone I’ve spoken to have been surprised, and I set about getting the volunteers.

"Most people think it is an affluent town, and it is, but not everywhere. There are up to families with all sorts of difficult situations, quite a lot of single mothers where the father has left.

"The idea is to give them enough to get back on their feet and work towards getting a job.

"I have already had someone call me about it, so it is hopefully getting out there now."

According to the trust, 12,000 children in Bucks live in income poverty.

In 2013 the Foodbank project provided 2012 food parcels to feed 2264 adults and 1381 children in High Wycombe and surrounding areas. Of those 28 parcels went to SL7 postcodes.

Up to August 12 this year, it provided 1950 parcels to feed 2292 adults and 1450 children, with 92 parcels to SL7 postcodes The main recipients in 2014 are single adults (64.8 per cent), followed by single parents (19.3 per cent) and families (15.9 per cent).

Trustee Cristina Delgado said people need help no matter where they live. 

She said: "A lot of the people who need the food find they can’t afford the bus fare to get to one of the centres. We operate a home delivery service but it is limited to just a few volunteers.

"Some are young or single mothers that have been referred by health visitors, who have a worry that their children will not have enough food.

"Usually, help is provided by the state, but occasionally people miss an appointment for whatever reason and cannot get their benefits that week, and some people lose their jobs and have no cushion.

"It’s sad, but is the case for some people and they’re often the ones we want to help. The majority of our cases are in High Wycombe, but it’s really shocking."

She added that people usually only receive parcels once, and that 80 per cent of recipients use the service no more than three times, as a stopgap measure in times of crisis.

The Foodbank project runs on a referral basis, with users having to be referred by a health professional or social services.

Locations in Marlow already collect food and produce donations, but the new centre marks the first time a collection point for the needy has been set up in town.

Mayor Brown said she is meeting with volunteers tonight, and hopes the centre can be up and running by next week.