BLACKBURN with Darwen Council staff showed their support for local foodbanks yesterday with an all-day fast.

Staff said no to food and drink in solidarity with people fasting for Ramadhan and to raise money for Blackburn Foodbank.

The foodbank is run by volunteers and provides parcels of ‘non-perishable’ food to those who need it the most.

The Lancashire Telegraph is campaigning for people to back their local foodbank after we revealed shocking cases of child malnutrition.

Councillor support manager Phil Llewellyn, who is took part in the fast, said: “The hardest bit of the fast is not drinking – it’s so difficult we were all really thirsty. This is something we do every year now and I think it is the least we can do to support the foodbank and our colleagues during Ramadhan.”

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for health and adult social care, said: “This is a very generous gesture from our staff, and will help the foodbank which does a huge amount to help people in need and their families in the borough.”