Woolwich Tesco Extra launches its sixth Neighbourhood Food Collection programme across UK

by Benson Agoha | Business

Woolwich Tesco Extra is among the nation-wide grocers stores taking part in the sixth food collection programme on behalf of the Foodbank.

And Woolwich Online can reveal the collection is progressing well instore. It has even already generated cages and cages of donated items, according to an employee at the Tesco Extra Store, Woolwich.

On Thursday, Tesco began it's newest collection to generate food for the Food bank that are given to families and people in crisis.

In a press release Thursday, Tesco said it was "urging people across the UK to donate generously during the sixth Neighbourhood Food Collection."  The programme is scheduled to run from Thursday 2 July until Saturday 4 July, and is taking place in all Tesco stores nationwide.

Tesco said its Neighbourhood Food Collection, run by Tesco with partner charities, The Trussell Trust and FareShare, aims to provide at least four million meals to people in need this summer as both charities see increased use by families, struggling to put food on the table over the holiday period.

More than a quarter of families rely on the help of grandparents or other extended family just to ensure that their children have sufficient food during the holidays.

More than 800,000 families across the UK also have to pay for childcare throughout the year with costs averaging out at £64 a week.

Josh Hardie, Tesco's Corporate Social Responsibility Director, said: It’s inspiring that our customers are so generous and give so much to help people in food poverty. At Tesco we want to play our part too, which is why we continue to add an extra 30% to our customers’ donations." adding "This is now our sixth Neighbourhood Food Collection and we want to keep up the amazing momentum from previous collections. That’s why it’s so important that we dig deep and do what we can to help people who are in need this summer.”

On her part Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said: “Sadly food poverty affects a large number of people across the UK. From homeless hostels to breakfast clubs, women’s refuges to luncheon clubs for older people, these frontline organisations need food more than ever, so we’re thrilled to partner with Tesco on the Neighbourhood Food Collection again this year.

“Our charity partners who cater for families and children have increased needs over the school holidays, placing resources under greater pressure as the need to continue to provide for our other charity members doesn’t decrease.  This campaign enables us all to help in a simple, practical way, as every item of food donated will make a difference to vulnerable people in our community.”

Tesco said it needed 20.000 volunteers who bolstered and achieved the collection in November 2014. and is calling out for customers to go into store and donate food or contact the local charities to volunteer.

Follow @tescoandsociety and the hashtag #everycanhelps on Twitter for the latest on the Neighbourhood Food Collection.