Churches, schools and charities are uniting to bail out families that have no food on the table in a project due to start in time for the run-up to Christmas.

Nearly four tonnes of food have already been collected for Kingston Foodbank before its December 2 launch.

Organiser Paul Pickhaver said: “Hidden hunger is an issue in Kingston today with some families struggling to put food on the table.

“For people on low incomes, a sudden crisis like redundancy, benefit delay or an unexpected bill can mean going hungry.”

There are 5,000 children living in poverty in Kingston and 3,500 households earning less than £16,000 a year, according to government statistics.

Volunteers will collect non-perishable food donated by the public and then hand it out to people caught up in a crisis.

Vouchers will be issued by social workers and other front-line agencies and exchanged at the United Reformed Church in Kingston for three days emergency supplies.

Professionals will work with them to help them find long-term help.

Church ministers, charities, social workers and support agencies heard about the scheme during a day-long session at the United Reformed Church on Monday, November 14.

Matt Hatton, of Kingston Churches Action Against Homelesness, said: “There will be the opportunity to give food to families that are really needy at the moment and not just the homeless.”

Nuwa Serunjogi, of Kingston Refugee Action, said some refugees and asylum seekers slept rough and had no food.

He said: “This project will at least provide us with an avenue to support the most vulnerable of our clients.”

Kingston Citizens' Advice Bureau, the Job Centre, YMCA London South West, the John Bunyan Baptist Centre, Kingston University and Kingston Welcare are also on board.

The same concept has already been running in nearby Sutton for two years and has helped more than 400 adults and 270 children.

Another 111 foodbanks are already open across the country as oart of the Trussell Trust.

Food bank volunteers will be outside Waitrose in Surbiton collecting outside the store on December 10.

Other food banks are expected to launch in New Malden, Chessington and Tolworth next year.