ANTI-poverty campaigners are saying thanks to the community for helping them feed and clothe 30,000 people in Inverclyde.

The team behind the i58 project, which runs the Inverclyde Foodbank and other lifeline services, are holding a 'Celebration of Hope' day in Greenock Town Hall tomorrow.

They will be joined by members of the public, youngsters from primary schools and local groups to mark the charity's remarkable journey.

Elim Pentecostal Church Pastor Fraser Donaldson set out on a mission to reach out to the most vulnerable - and now he is taking them back to where it all began.

Fraser, 37, from Port Glasgow, said: "Greenock Town Hall is where the Elim Church held its first service 90 years ago.

"When I took over as pastor in 2004 I wanted to put the church at the very heart of the community and serve people.

"When we set up the foodbank we had no idea how it would end up.

"We hope and pray that we will one day not be needed but sadly there will always be people in our society who need help."

Seven years ago Fraser, a dad-of-two, established the foodbank, in partnership with the Trussell Trust.

In that time they have stopped thousands of families from going hungry as well as helping them with clothes, baby supplies, uniforms and financial difficulties.

The roll out of the welfare benefit Universal Credit saw an unprecedented surge in demand with referrals soaring.

Every week they open their doors to hand out parcels for people, with the public responding to calls for collections and donations.

Fraser said: "The celebration is a story of a community helping one another.

"We want people to come along and join with us in hope."

As part of the 90th anniversary celebrations of the birth of the Elim Church in Greenock Pastor Donaldson is looking to what they need to do in the future.

He will be joined by i58 project leader Lesley Jackson and colleagues Andrew McElees and Paul Martin.

As part of their work the Elim team are chaplains in primary schools Aileymill, Lady Alice, King's Oak, Newark and Kilmacolm through their 'next generation project.

All the schools will be represented at the town hall celebration, which runs from 4-5pm tomorrow.