YOU COULD HELP STOP PEOPLE GOING HUNGRY

JUST A SMALL DONATION TO TESCO FOOD COLLECTION CAN HELP MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THOSE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET

Your donations can make a really big difference to people who need help

COVID-19 has made Tesco Food Collection more vital than ever.

This Christmas will be a struggle for many, due to the pandemic and the economic fallout – and families with children are going to be the hardest hit of all. That’s why Tesco Food Collection is calling on shoppers to make a difference.

The Trussell Trust expects its network of UK food banks to give out an emergency food parcel every nine seconds this winter, while Fareshare is supplying food to 11,000 frontline charities helping to feed people in communities across the country and their families.

Last year generous Tesco shoppers donated more than 3m meals during the collection, and this year the need for food is greater than ever, with every single item gathered making a difference to someone’s life.

“The effects of the pandemic are being felt far and wide,” says FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell. “More people than ever are turning to charities and community groups because they’re unable to feed themselves and their families.”

The collection launches in Tesco Express stores today and in large stores from Thursday. Customers are being asked to donate food up to November 21. It’s as simple as buying the items with your usual shopping and dropping them in the dedi cated Food Collec tion trolley at the exit. The food needed includes longer- life items such as rice, tea and tinned goods, all of which can be made into nutritious meals. donating Tesco Clubcard points to the two charities.

All the food that goes to FareShare is used to provide meals for vulnerable groups, such as isolated older people and those in homeless shelters. Tesco tops up the value of all donations to the two charities with an additional 20 per cent in cash. “Every year customers are so generous, but this is not a normal year,” says

Tesco’s head of community, Claire De Silva. “The two charities we work with need to provide more food than ever this Christmas.”

For shoppers, taking the time to donate even one item can have a huge impact on someone’s life this winter. “A single tin of tuna or vegetables may not seem like much to give,” says Claire, “but if enough people make a small donation, together those donations can make a big difference to people who need our help this winter.”

The Trussell Trust’s CEO, Emma Revie, says: “The pandemic has shown what can happen when we stand together in the face of adversity and how much people are willing to give to support their local community.”