STRATFORD Foodbank is calling on shoppers to donate food and other essentials to this year’s Tesco Summer Food Collection, as the cost of living crisis bites.
Tesco customers at the supermarket on the Birmingham Road will be encouraged to pick an extra item or two to drop in special donation trollies on the way out of the store from Thursday June 30 to Saturday July 2.
And the Trussell Trust network of foodbanks said the support is needed more than ever as families across the country were facing the biggest income squeeze in a generation and many people on the very lowest incomes were struggling to put food on the table.
All food donations will be used to support people across the Stratford area who are experiencing hardship and will be forced to use a food bank over the coming months.
The collection has been organised by Tesco who will top up customers’ food donations with a financial donation of 20 per cent of the value of the items donated, which will support Stratford Foodbank in the provision of emergency food parcels and practical support.
Customers are being asked to donate essential items of long-life food such as tinned fruit, UHT fruit juice, small jars of coffee, noodles, and rice.
Kate Morris, Projects Manager of Stratford Foodbank, is urging local people to give generously to the food collection during their supermarket shop.
She told the Observer: “No one in Stratford and the surrounding area should be facing hunger and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all. While we work alongside other food banks in the Trussell Trust network to bring about long-term change to ensure everyone has enough money for the essentials, any donations of our most-needed items will be invaluable.
“Thanks to Tesco and the generosity of its customers, we hope to continue to offer vital support to families and children over the coming months, which we know will be particularly tough for many people in the local area.”
