Tesco have announced that they will provide a £30million package of support for local communities tackling Covid-19, including £25million food donations programme.

The company already donate £3million of food every month through their Community Food Connection scheme and distribution centres. They’ve promised to donate a top up food donation of £15million of food to FareShare and the Trussell Trust over the next 12 weeks.

Extra donations include donating £2million on their existing partnership with the British Red Cross to help them with the extra costs they face in supporting people in need. Additionally, stores will have access to more than £1million of funding so they can support causes in their local area.

And using their existing Bags of Help community donation scheme, £2million of funding to charities that are helping the most vulnerable (apply here). Qullifing froups can get apply for a grant of £500. This includes, but is not limited to, women’s refuges, food banks, hospices, homeless charities, social isolation groups, schools, charities supporting the elderly and local authorities.

The application and payment process is simple to provide support quickly to these important causes. Any groups that would benefit from this funding are encouraged to apply at the following website: www.tescobagsofhelp.org.uk.

In Renfrewshire, Tesco has stores in Linwood, Paisley and Renfrew as well as two smaller stores within petrol stations in Paisley.

Lindsay Boswell, chief executive of FareShare, said: “As the coronavirus crisis continues, we are very thankful to our longstanding partner, Tesco for their generous support. We know that many of the frontline charities we work with are continuing to provide vital support in their communities, and so the combination of funding and unprecedented food donations from Tesco will allow us to ensure they have a consistent supply of food during this difficult time.”

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We believe everyone should be able to afford their own food. That’s why we are so grateful to Tesco who will, as the pandemic develops, provide support to communities across the UK where we’re working closely with food banks, helping people who can’t afford essentials to get an emergency food parcel.”

Mike Adamson, chief executive of British Red Cross, said: “The world is facing an unprecedented global emergency and we are extremely thankful for Tesco’s generous donation which together will help us continue our vital work, putting kindness into action and supporting the most vulnerable people during the coronavirus outbreak.”

By Ricky Kelly

Main writer for Renfrewshire News