This December, local people donated enough food for an incredible 5,714 meals at Tesco stores during the ninth Neighbourhood Food Collection.
The collection took place between 1st and 3rd December 2016, in partnership with Tesco, foodbank charity The Trussell Trust, and food redistribution charity, FareShare. For many people referred to a foodbank after being hit by something unavoidable like illness or redundancy, emergency food is just the first step. Foodbanks also help people access other services and support which can help get their lives back on track, so the potential impact of a food donation cannot be underestimated.
Isle of Wight foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust foodbank network. The donations from local people come at a vital time at the start of December, the busiest month for Trussell Trust foodbanks UK-wide. Last December, the foodbank network saw a 45% increase in the number of three day emergency food supplies provided to people in crisis, compared to the monthly average for the 2015/16 financial year.
Zoe Hawkes, Office Manager, said:
‘We were overwhelmed by the number of donations we received during the National Food Collection. Once again, residents of the island have shown their kind generosity in supporting the Isle of Wight foodbank.’
Isle of Wight foodbank collected in Tesco Stores across the Island.
During the collection, customers were asked to donate non-perishable food items such as long-life milk, tinned vegetables, tinned meat and Christmas treats. Volunteers from the foodbank joined with Tesco staff in store to collect donations from kind-hearted customers. Tesco then topped up all donations by 20 per cent.
David McAuley, Chief Executive of The Trussell Trust, said:
“No one should have to face Christmas unable to afford food for their family because something unavoidable, like illness or redundancy, has hit this month. The staggering generosity of Tesco customers, store colleagues and volunteers, means foodbanks across the country will be able to provide vital food and support to people who are struggling during what could be our busiest December yet. Thank you for your support – your generosity will help stop hunger this Christmas.”
Lindsey Crompton, Head of Community at Tesco said:
“We’re thrilled with the huge number of food donations we’ve had on the Isle of Wight, resulting in such an amazing number of meals to give to those in need this Christmas and beyond. It really demonstrates the generosity of people on the Island. Thank you for once again supporting us, and making this collection so successful!”