The hub is planned to open towards the end of Summer 2021, following major refurbishment works at the academy which are due to take place during the school holidays.

Dr Jonty Clark OBE, chief executive officer of The Beckmead Trust, said: "We are very passionate about caring for our students and local communities so the 3 Food 4 U hub at Moundwood Academy will be an amazing opportunity for us to extend this support and offer our Harlow community a safe, welcoming, dignified and non-judgmental place to access essential food, clothing and other items.

"We will also be looking at how we replicate this initiative across our other academies whose communities are facing similar challenges.”

Andre Genas, headteacher at Beckmead Moundwood Academy, said: "Our values are Love, Flourishing, Social Justice and Community so to be able to offer such inclusive and vital support for our community through this initiative is fantastic and very important to us.

“Many of the families in our community are going through difficult times, especially in light of the pandemic, and we want to do all that we can to support them. Everyone at the academy is looking forward to the hub opening and being able to work with and give back to our community.”

Pesh Kapasiawala, charity founder and chairman of trustees at 3 Food 4 U, said: "It's great to be working with a Trust that share our ethos of treating and supporting people humanely with dignity and respect.”