Tesco is encouraging people across the UK to donate generously during its biggest ever Neighbourhood Food Collection, which takes place in all Tesco stores from Thursday 1 December until Saturday 3 December.
The Neighbourhood Food Collection, run by Tesco with foodbank charity, The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity, FareShare, is aiming to provide at least five million meals to help feed people in need this winter.
Both The Trussell Trust and FareShare see an increase in the need for their support during the winter, with the extra cost of heating that comes with the cold weather adding another pressure for families struggling to make ends meet. Some people might have to turn to payday loans to ensure their home is warm this winter which can easily spiral out of control if they have to take out a few payday loans. I’ve heard that some people make it more manageable when working with one payment so some opt for payday loan consolidation services. But I digress
For other vulnerable people, it’s isolation or the need for greater support services, which has led to an 26% increase in the number of charities signing up to FareShare for food deliveries in the last year.
Since the Neighbourhood Food Collection launched in 2012, the equivalent of more than 38 million meals have been donated to people in need by generous Tesco customers. Tesco also tops up customer donations by 20%, the only retailer to top up customer donations in this way – helping the charities grow and provide additional support to people in need.
Matt Davies, UK and ROI CEO at Tesco said:
“It’s so great to witness the generosity of our customers each time we hold a Neighbourhood Food Collection. That’s especially true at Christmas, when the Trussell Trust and FareShare see an increase in demand for the support they provide people who are struggling to make ends meet.
“Together with the 20% top-up provided by Tesco, we’re hoping this collection will go on to help more people in need than ever before.”
The Neighbourhood Food Collection is part of Tesco’s ongoing effort to encourage customers to donate long-life food to charity. Their two charity partners – The Trussell Trust and FareShare – support a wide range of people across the UK who find themselves in desperate need of support.
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 struggling to fight an addiction.
David McAuley CEO at The Trussell Trust said:
“For families already managing tight budgets, winter is often the hardest time of year. Every December Trussell Trust foodbanks meet people who have been hit by something unavoidable, like redundancy or illness, and are facing Christmas unable to afford food. New foodbank statistics out tomorrow suggest foodbank use could double in the lead up to Christmas. We’re very grateful for the donations of Tesco shoppers, colleagues and volunteers – your generosity will help stop hunger this Christmas.”
Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said:
“The Neighbourhood Food Collection really helps us in our work to provide good food to thousands of amazing frontline organisations in the UK, which support people who are struggling to feed themselves. These organisations work tirelessly to provide life-changing support to people in need. Every single item of food donated will make a difference, so thank you to everyone involved in the Neighbourhood Food Collection.”
In addition to the Neighbourhood Food Collection, Tesco has over 600 permanent collection points across the UK where customers can donate food each week.
