THEY are full of protein, fibre and iron, and even have a playground song dedicated to their health benefits and effects on bodily function.

A North Yorkshire food bank has found that generous residents are massive fans of baked beans – to the extent it now has an entire storage unit dedicated to holding more than 600 cans of the fibrous fast food.

Hambleton Foodshare, based in Northallerton, is offering residents two cans of beans for every item of food on its ‘much-needed’ list at an event designed to even out its food supply.

Foodshare co-ordinator Margaret Brice said the group has decided to hold the event in Northallerton next week to try to redress the balance, with a ‘buy one get one free’ deal for donators.

She said: “We are really grateful for all the donations but we are disappearing under the volume of baked beans – and in order to be able to offer variety in our emergency food rations we need to swap some of the tins for other products.

“Everyone who brings another product along to the swap session next weekend will go home with two cans of beans.

“Beans are a good, nutritious food and we do put them in our food parcels but we want to give out packs of food with a good range and balance.

She added: “So why not come along and join us – it won’t cost you a bean.”

She said the foodbank needs: UHT and evaporated milk, tinned ready meals, tinned meat, tinned potatoes, packets of custard, jams and marmalades, small bags of sugar, individual packets of cereal, toilet rolls, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

The bean swap takes place on Saturday, October 25 from 10am until noon.

The food bank is also collecting more luxury items in the lead up to Christmas so they can include more sweets, crackers and biscuits to add a bit of cheer to a basic food parcel – but all must be non-perishable.

Hambleton Foodshare is open every Monday from 4pm to 6pm in the Zion Chapel Hall, Northallerton.

It operates a voucher system for up to six visits when people in need of help will receive an emergency parcel of food for three days to tide them over the crisis, available from CAB, Broadacres Housing, Foundation, and Horizons - although people can self-refer on the first occasion.

Hambleton Foodshare is a partnership across churches and many other organisations through Hambleton – it has been open for 16 months serving local people in crisis.