Tesco’s ‘Help Feed People In Need’ scheme is taking place this weekend.
A Hammersmith and Fulham foodbank is helping Tesco prepare for the UK’s largest ever food collection this weekend.
Tesco’s ‘Help Feed People In Need’ scheme, which takes place on December 1 and 2, aims to provide food for thousands of people in need this Christmas.
Tesco stores all over the country will be holding collections for their local Trussell Trust foodbanks.
Chris Mould, executive chairman of Trussell Trust, said: “Every day we meet parents who are skipping meals to feed their children, or people who are forced to choose between eating and heating.”
Figures published this week show that almost one in ten people in London have skipped meals, gone without food to feed others or relied on family or friends for food in the past year.
Philip Clarke, Tesco chief executive, said: “We’re hoping that many local people will donate at a Tesco store to help stop people going hungry in Hammersmith & Fulham this Christmas.
“We would like to encourage everyone to give a can or two to help make this Christmas a happier one for people in crisis.”
The H&F foodbank is an independent charity with two sites in the Borough.
They provide emergency meals to those in need and fed over 1,200 people since April this year.
They distribute close to one tonne of food every month from their stores in Shepherd’s Bush and Fulham alone.
This weekend thousands of Tesco staff together with volunteers from Trussel Trust and FareShare will help customers to donate.
Shoppers will be given special shopping lists to encourage them to by items like cereal, rice, instant coffee and tinned food that they can then donate.
Daphine Aikens, the founder and manager of the H&F foodbank, said: “This is going to be a huge boost for us, especially as we are getting busier and busier.”
Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, who are also helping with the food drive, said: “We are so pleased to be working with Tesco and the Trussel Trust on this campaign.
“With the help of Tesco customers, we can provide even more food to people who need it, at a time of real, increasing need.”
Anyone in Hammersmith and Fulham wishing to make a donation should visit the Tesco store at 180 Shepherd’s Bush on Saturday or Sunday.
For more information visit www.hammersmithfulham.foodbank.org.uk
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