GIVE A GIFT OF FOOD AT XMAS

Add an extra can to your Tesco trolley to help those in need

WHAT’S on your Christmas menu this year? Sprouts maybe? Parsnips perhaps? Some people, however, don’t get the luxury of having that choice.

Across Britain, millions are struggling to put food on the table, and for them Christmas is a particularly tough time. They face the possibility of empty cupboards and a struggle to provide meals for themselves or their families.

There are many reasons why people find themselves in this situation, from receiving an unexpected bill when on a low income to being alone and fighting an addiction.

But you can help. It’s as simple as popping a few extra items in your shopping basket.

This weekend, Tesco is inviting customers to donate long-life food to its Food Collection, the UK’s largest food drive, which takes place in all Tesco stores from today and runs until Saturday, December 1.

All you need to do is take the shopping list on this page into your local Tesco store, pick the items you want to donate, and leave them at the in-store food collection point.

Some stores collect for their local Trussell Trust foodbank, which delivers emergency food parcels to local people.

Others collect for their regional FareShare warehouse, which redistributes the food to community groups and local charities.

No matter where you donate, every can and every packet helps, and all the food you give will help people in need.

Last year’s Food Collection campaign contributed over 3m meals to people in need, and Tesco is hoping that this year, you can help to provide even more. They have also pledged to top up all customer donations by 20%, so charities get even more help to pass on to those who can really benefit from it.

Your trip to Tesco this weekend could be the difference between someone in your community having hope, instead of facing hunger, this Christmas.