Kind-Hearted tea lovers helped rack in the pennies for a foodbank by donating the cost of their cuppa.

The Epping Forest Forum and customers at the Original Tea Hut raised £603 for Loughton Foodbank, to help them look after some of the neediest families this Christmas.

For the last three years, people have been putting their coins in a penny jar and are thrilled with the amount raised.

Paul Morris, who runs the forum’s Facebook page, gave the fundraising drive a final push last weekend by handing the donation to foodbank project manager Heather Scholer.

The 45-year-old said: “It’s a great feeling being able to help them at the busiest time of the year. “This is something we have done for the past couple of years now and we have worked with the Tea Hut on numerous of things in the past.

“We just want to keep raising money. The foodbank uses the money on things that people need and they can go out and get things for them.”

Mr Morris, from Loughton, has kept everyone in the area informed about his recent efforts and admitted it has inspired others to do the same.

He added: “Off the back of having the jar, people from the forum have donated their own money to the foodbank themselves. It truly is amazing.”

The Foodbank opened in 2013 since then more than 1700 people have been fed and it is among the 428 of The Trussell Trust’s network across the country.

Ms Scholer said: “The money raised from the Forum and the Tea Hut will help go towards the day-to-day running and looking at how low we are on certain items.

“It will certainly help throughout the year and it is great to work with community partnerships. To me, it is all about the community helping the community.

“It has been incredible that some people have donated off their own back and we hope more people will do the same.

The 34-year-old hopes to expand into other districts, such as Chigwell and Ongar, over the next year to help more in need.

To donate visit https://loughton.foodbank.org.uk/