The West Hampstead Food Hub was highly commended by parliament last week in recognition of its work to tackle food poverty afflicting the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

The initiative, now based at the Sidings Community Centre, was honoured in the UK Parliament Awards for Campaign of the Year.

The Food Hub was launched in April 2020 by the Rev'd Hugh Thomas, Janet Grauberg and Pranay Hariharan at St Cuthbert's Church, moving to the Sidings Centre in August.

Sinead Dalton, who has been co-ordinating the Food Hub since last autumn, said: "We were started by the community for the community, so we’re really delighted to have received this recognition.

"It’s been such a team effort. We have amazing volunteers, lovely donors who drop-off food or donate to our just giving page, and also incredible support from local community partners and businesses like Willesden Temple, Paramount and Wenzels."

She said the hub is serving an increasing number of families - 155 at the latest count - calling this "a reminder that although ‘normal’ life feels closer, the need to support one another, and the number of people struggling, won’t suddenly change".