The deputy mayor has donated his allowance to Oldham Foodbank in fear of residents starving this winter.

Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE has donated his entire annual deputy mayoral allowance, worth £3,128, to Oldham Foodbank in a bid to save it from sinking as donations dwindle but demand soars.

The health campaigner, who also organised the first Covid clinic for the homeless people, slammed the "appalling" need for food banks to exist in the first place.

Dr Chauhan said: "As if weren’t bad enough that 93 per cent of food banks have reported a surge in users over the last few months, now 80 per cent are struggling to get in enough supplies to feed people.

“Whilst I cannot put into words the love and respect I have for all food bank volunteers, it shouldn’t be the case in a developed, resource-rich country that people are having to turn to food pantries in order to survive.

“We must serve up a portion of awareness with our kindness.”

The doctor has also noticed how physical and mental health conditions often go hand-in-hand with poverty and is concerned as to how people will cope when fuel bills increase again this winter.

He added: “Everything from depression to malnutrition is on my daily schedule."

Dr Chauhan went on: “I have read cases of people literally weeping when visiting a food bank for the first time.

“You should never be ashamed to ask for help, but some must feel a sense of wounded pride at having to use a food bank.

“They are also living with a mountain of worries, especially if they have children or other dependents.

“I see nothing but kindness when I speak to the volunteers and a roll-your-sleeves-up attitude to tackling poverty."

Father Tom Davies, the founder of Oldham Foodbank, started his mission to help support the vulnerable in Oldham after a bag of food was left on his doorstep.

The food bank has since developed into two large warehouses, serving 1,000 meals per month.

The so-called ‘Pot Noodle Priest’ said: “Where food poverty was confined to certain parts of Oldham, now the whole borough is experiencing it.

“The foodbank now has to buy its own products because donations cannot meet the need and we are grateful to people like Dr Chauhan for keeping us going.”

Father Davies said the food bank facilitates deliveries to mitigate against any possible embarrassment families might feel, though they shouldn’t, he said, as “this is a gift to help them feed their children".

The food bank has 80 volunteers so far but now is in need of even more help, particularly from drivers.

“But we have reached the point where the poor of Oldham are feeding the poorest of Oldham.”