Poole Food Bank buys van after Africa peak fundraiser

A food bank has unveiled a new van bought after a volunteer raised £26,100 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

Joshua Mitchell, who has volunteered for Poole Food Bank in Dorset for over a year, said demand had grown by 77%.

He said the charity previously had just one small Caddy van to collect food and deliver it to distribution hubs.

The vehicle, which Bournemouth Echo reported was unveiled by football legend Harry Redknapp, will allow more supplies to be moved in each trip.

The money raised will also help the charity cover rising costs such as fuel and utility bills.

Mr Mitchell, who completed the climb in September, said the cost of living crisis meant the charity was being "stretched to its absolute limit".

Before climbing Kilimanjaro, Mr Mitchell also scaled a number of other peaks, including Scafell Pike in August, Ben Nevis in June and Snowdon in May.

He exceeded his original fundraising target of £15,000.

A charity spokesperson said: "Harry Redknapp has been a supporter of all that we do here at Poole Food Bank and came along to support the launch."

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].