Antrim Foodbank is asking shoppers in Antrim to support people in crisis this summer by donating to the Tesco Summer Food Collection.
From Thursday 15 July to Saturday 17 July special donation points will be put up at Tesco Extra Massereene, with customers being asked to donate essential items of long-life food such as tinned fruit and vegetables, UHT milk, cereals, and toiletries.
The collection has been organised by Tesco as part of a drive to help support children and families throughout the summer holidays.
The supermarket will generously top up customers’ food donations with a financial donation of 20% of the value of the items donated, which will support Antrim Foodbank in the provision of emergency food parcels and practical support.
Fionnuala O’Donnell, manager of Antrim Foodbank, is urging local people in Antrim to support the food collection during their supermarket shop.
In the last year, we provided 1227 emergency food parcels to people in crisis in our local area. But we know it doesn’t have to be like this.
No one in Antrim should be facing hunger. We want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all. We’re determined to work alongside other food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network to bring about long-term change to end hunger not only during the holidays, but at any time of year.
However, while we work to tackle the reasons why people don’t have enough money for the basics, any donations of our most-needed items will be invaluable. Thanks to Tesco and the generosity of its customers, we hope to continue to offer vital support to families and children throughout the summer months.
The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of over 1,300 food banks including Antrim Foodbank, has seen its highest ever demand for emergency food parcels over the last year.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said:
No one should face the indignity of needing emergency food. Yet our UK-wide network of food banks gave out a record 2.5 million emergency food parcels in the last year – with more than 980,000 of these provided for children. This isn’t right.
Food banks do all they can to help families meet the extra financial pressures of the summer holidays. But your support by donating during the Tesco Summer Food Collection this month will be vital in helping food banks provide the best possible support to families in crisis today, while working towards a future where everyone has enough for the essentials.
Thank you for your generosity – together we can make a difference.
The Tesco Summer Food Collection will take place in Tesco Superstores and Tesco Extra stores from Thursday 15 July to Saturday 17 July, and in Tesco Express stores from Monday 12 July to Saturday 28 August.
The event is in addition to the pre-Christmas Tesco Food Collection which Tesco holds annually at the end of November.
ENDS
Contact:
Paul Sullivan, Content Editor / Social Media Advocate can be reached on [email protected]
Antrim Foodbank:
- Antrim Foodbank has been providing three days emergency food and support to local people since 2016.
- 1227 emergency food parcels were provided by Antrim Foodbank between April 2020 and March 2021
- For more info, visit https://antrim.foodbank.org.uk
- Antrim Foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust network. For UK-wide Trussell Trust food bank statistics visit https://www.trusselltrust.org/news-and-blog/latest-stats/
About the Trussell Trust:
- We’re here to end the need for food banks in UK.
- We support a UK-wide network of more than 1,300 food bank centres and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
- Our most recent figures for the number of emergency food supplies provided by our network: https://www.trusselltrust.org/news-and-blog/latest-stats/
- The Trussell Trust’s food bank network brings together volunteers, staff and supporters of all faiths and none to make a difference. Local churches play a vital part in this work, with around 12,000 churches actively involved in donating food, and providing venues, volunteers and financial support for food banks.
- You can read more about our work at trusselltrust.org
