'Generous' Northampton Tesco shoppers thanked for donating more than 2,000 meals to feed people in need over Christmas

Generous Tesco shoppers in Northampton have been thanked after donating more than 2,000 meals-worth of food to help charities feed people during Christmas and the winter months.

The Tesco Food Collection, which takes place twice a year, was held in all UK Tesco stores from November 18 to 20.

Customers were asked to donate long-life food to support charities FareShare and the Trussell Trust.

Stores across the UK reported that customers had given the highest volume of food donations to support charities since the start of the pandemic, providing 1.57 million meals during the campaign, with shoppers in Northampton donating 2,103 meals.

Head of community at Tesco, Claire De Silva, said: “At this time more than ever, we are hugely grateful for the support of all our customers in Northampton who have donated in store for making this the biggest collection of long-life food in our stores since the start of the pandemic.

"We know this will make a really significant difference to local people this winter.”

The donations will help foodbanks in the Trussell Trust’s network provide emergency parcels and help FareShare supply thousands of frontline charities.

Tesco has topped up all customer donations with a 20 percent cash donation to the two charities, to support them in their work feeding people in communities across the UK.

Director at FareShare Midlands, Simone Connolly, said shoppers’ donations would make a 'huge difference' to the frontline charities they supplied.

She said: “The Food Collection is so important to FareShare because donations of long-life items means we are able to compliment the fresh food that we receive year round from Tesco with staples like rice, tinned vegetables and tea and coffee.

“Thank you to every single Tesco customer that donated to the food collection this year – your generous donations will help us to continue supporting local charities and community groups that are helping to feed people in need this winter."

Project manager of Coventry Foodbank, Hugh McNeill, said the donations would help provide food to people facing 'impossible decisions' this Christmas.

He said: “Throughout 2021, communities across the UK have stepped in to provide vital support to people at food banks, left without enough money for the essentials. This emergency lifeline is only possible due to the incredible compassion and generosity of Tesco customers, including those in Northampton during the Tesco Food Collection.

“Right now, people near you are making impossible decisions between staying warm or buying food as food banks in our network face providing 7,000 emergency food parcels to people in crisis every day this month.

"It’s not right that any of us are forced to a charity for the essentials, but we continue to be truly humbled by how much people are willing to give and so we thank you for your continued support while we work in the long term to build a future without the need for food banks.”

To find out more about Tesco's Food Collections, visit their page on how to donate to FareShare and The Trussell Trust in Tesco stores.