SIR — May I through your paper thank the Watchet and District Choral Society and all those who attended their recent performances of Faure's Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine.

The proceeds amounted to an amazing £680 which was donated to the West Somerset Food Cupboard to help those in our own district who are in food crisis. It was a truly remarkable result and will offer us that safety net of having funds which will enable us to buy food items when demand exceeds supply.

The Food Cupboard, although church led, is now very much a community project and we rely upon the generosity of local people without whose support we would be unable to help those in need. Demand upon the Food Cupboard continues to rise as the current economic crisis shows no signs of abating.

The Welfare Reform Act, which came into play at the beginning of April, is predicted by the Department of Works and Pensions Ministers to push another 200,000 children into relative low income and this is on top of the rise of 400,000 already predicted by the Institute of Fiscal Studies for the period 2011 to 2015.

Already in the UK, 13 million people live below the poverty line.West Somerset is in the bottom 30 per cent of the most deprived areas of England and has the worst child poverty rate in Somerset. Every day folk in our own community go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to that unexpected and un-budgetable bill whilst struggling on a low income.

What we must not forget is that poverty and hunger can also exist in a working household. But we can all help -immediately. Next time you are shopping and are tempted by those 'buy one get one free' offers, why not give that extra item to the Food Cupboard? It will be so gratefully received and will make a huge difference to someone who is wondering - where on Earth their next meal will come from.

We have collecting points in most of the churches in West Somerset or gifts can be left at St Michael the Archangel Church in Alcombe where the Food Cupboard is based. For further information please ring either the Church Office on 01643 709491 or the Food Cupboard on 0779 5080637. Thank you.

Christine Payne,

Co-ordinator,

West Somerset Food Cupboard.