Volunteers in East Renfrewshire are being urged to support the Tesco Winter Food Collection to help food banks and community groups provide food to people who cannot afford the essentials.
The collection will take place in all large Tesco stores from 26th to 28th November. Now in its 14th year, the event supports Tesco’s charity partners, Trussell and Felix.
Tesco stores in East Renfrewshire include:
- Tesco Superstore, Kelburn Street, Barrhead, G78 1LS.
- Tesco Express, 3 Greenlaw Place, Newton Mearns, G77 6GR.
- Tesco Express, 54 Busby Road, Clarkston, G76 7AT.
The appeal specifies large stores for the three-day collection. It does not confirm volunteer collections at the Express branches.
Volunteers will help at collection points in stores, raising awareness and encouraging shoppers to donate long-life food and other items.
Donations for Trussell will help its community of food banks provide emergency food parcels. Donations to Felix, formerly FareShare and The Felix Project, will support its network of more than 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK.
Tesco said one in five Trussell food parcels comes from Tesco and its customers. More than half of charities in the Felix network have reported an increase in demand in the past year.
Christine Heffernan, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Tesco, said: “The Winter Food Collection is a key moment in the Tesco calendar as part of our commitment to supporting families across the UK get access to food when they need it most. Last year, our generous customers donated almost 1.5m meals worth of food to the collection and, by volunteering a few hours of your time, you can help us increase donations allowing Felix and Trussell to get food to even more people facing a tough winter.”
Matthew van Duyvenbode, co-chief executive officer at Trussell, said: “As temperatures drop and bills start to rise, more people will be forced to seek our food banks’ help. But with the support of Tesco, their customers and our incredible food collection volunteers, food banks can stay better stocked ready to support people facing hunger in their local communities.
“We urgently need you to play your part by getting involved in Tesco’s Food Collection, whether that’s through spreading the word, donating essential items or volunteering your time. Every small action makes an incredible difference – thank you so much.”
Charlotte Hill, CEO at Felix, said: “Food from Felix reaches a network of over 8,000 charities and community organisations across the UK, helping them to provide food support alongside access to other vital services. At a time when demand for food support is growing and people are struggling with the cost of living, the Tesco Winter Food Collection is more important than ever.
“We know from experience that having volunteers present in store significantly increases the number of food items donated, and hope that more people than ever will generously give up their time this year. By volunteering just three hours, people can play an important part in our mission and help create lasting change in communities across the country.”
People can sign up to volunteer through Felix or Trussell.