SHOPPERS are being called on to donate to Stratford Foodbank this weekend.
As the cost of living crisis continued to bite, the foodbank – part of the Trussell Trust network – is urging residents to donate food and other essentials to the Tesco Food Collection.
Tesco customers at the store in Birmingham Road will be encouraged to pick up an extra item or two to drop in the foodbank donation basket on the way out of the store on Saturday (May 27).
This support is needed now more than ever, as families across the country are facing the biggest income squeeze in a generation and many people on the very lowest incomes are 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 asked to donate essential items of long-life food such as UHT fruit juice, tinned fish, pasta sauce, tinned sweetcorn and tinned meat meals.
Sarah Mills, Operations Lead at Stratford Foodbank, is urging local people to give generously to the food collection during their supermarket shop.
She said: “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.”
