TELLY’S King of the Jungle Carl Fogarty lent his support to Blackburn’s food bank as he opened the lifeline’s new home yesterday.

The ‘I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here’ winner and four-times World Superbike champ cut the ribbon as the charity celebrated moving into its new base in Oakenhurst Road.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Blackburn’s ‘Foggy’ said: “The staff at the food bank do a fantastic job. This is a great facility and more needy people are sure to benefit from this increased awareness.”

Ros Duerden, who founded the organisation in 2012, said the former carers’ service building would enable volunteers to focus on the root causes of people’s problems, as well as providing emergency food parcels.

It includes a community kitchen, private rooms to discuss budgeting and debt management, and a computer room for people to access council and job services, none of which were available in the old premises in Whalley Banks.

Ros said: “After a while it dawned on us that giving people three days of food is a brilliant safety net, but wasn’t a solution to their problems.

“This place is four times bigger and it means we can do four times more. I never imagined that we’d grow so big, but we are one of the busiest food banks in the country.” The base, named The Oaks, features showers, bigger pantries and delivery rooms, a quiet room and a cafe.

Ros said the facilities should help take the pressure off visitors, so they ‘don’t feel like they are being rushed through’.

She added: “We’ll also be running cookery courses to help people eat healthily.”

The food bank survives on food and cash donations, and issues parcels to families that have been referred by care professionals. It dealt with more than 7,000 people last year.

Although the charity is delighted with the new premises, Ros said the struggle to provide enough food is constant.

To volunteer, call 01254 672756. For details visit: www.blackburn.foodbank.org.uk