Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
Response to the annual charity appeal was "excellent", she said.
"I think it was probably one of the better ones we've had, if not the best."
About 400 people from the emergency services, Civil Defence, businesses, and community groups made the event possible and "there were a few tears in the hall as the trucks were coming in".
The food was distributed to the city's four main foodbanks yesterday, for making up charity Christmas parcels.
"I think people are realising the can appeal is really making a difference to families. It just makes it easier for the foodbanks to be generous at Christmas," Mrs Orbell said.
