As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, Antrim Foodbank – part of the Trussell Trust network of food banks – is calling on shoppers to donate food and other essentials to this year’s Tesco Summer Food Collection.
From Thursday 30 June to Saturday 2 July, customers at Tesco Extra Massereene will be encouraged to pick up an extra item or two to drop in special donation trollies on the way out of the store.
This support is needed now more than ever, as families across the country are facing the biggest income squeeze in a generation and many people on the very lowest incomes are struggling to put food on the table.
All food donations will be used to support people across the Antrim area who are experiencing hardship and will be forced to use a food bank over the coming months.
The collection has been organised by Tesco who 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.
Customers are being asked to donate essential items of long-life food such as UHT Milk, Fruit Juice, tinned goods and toiletries.
Fionnuala O’Donnell, project manager of Antrim Foodbank, is urging local people in Antrim to give generously to the food collection during their big shop.
She said:
No one in Antrim should be facing hunger and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all. While we work alongside other food banks in the Trussell Trust network to bring about long-term change to ensure everyone has enough money for the essentials, 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 over the coming months, which will know will be particularly tough for many people in the local area.
The Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of over 1,300 food bank centres including Antrim Foodbank, has seen long-term increases in numbers of emergency food parcels distributed to people who are facing hardship.
Food banks in its network provided over 2.1 million emergency food parcels in the last year, with over 800,000 of these given for children. As soaring living costs continue to put pressure on families, food banks help make sure that people in crisis get the support they need over the summer period, and beyond.
Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said:
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, food banks are doing all they can to help meet the extra financial pressures that families are facing. But for many people, the coming months will be a particularly tough period as they struggle to cover the basic costs of living such as bills, food and other essentials.
Food banks in our network always work incredibly hard to ensure that people facing hardship get support – but we have sadly seen need accelerate over the recent months. Food banks are calling on the public to support them by donating food to support people unable to afford life’s essentials.
No one should have to go without something as essential as food, but I have no doubt that the generosity of Tesco customers and colleagues this summer will once again help food banks provide the best possible help to families facing hunger today, while working towards a future where everyone can afford the essentials in life – like food.
Thank you for your generosity – together we can make a difference.
The Tesco food collection will take place in every Tesco store in the UK. It is the biggest collection of its kind and a vital source of food for the Trussell Trust.
ENDS
Contact:
Fionnuala O’Donnell, Project Manager at Antrim Foodbank, can be reached on [email protected] or 028 9454 8555
Notes to Editor:
- Antrim Foodbank has been providing three days emergency food and support to local people since 2016.
- 1,429 emergency food parcels were provided by Antrim Foodbank between April 2021 and March 2022
- Antrim Foodbank is a community programme run by Oasis Antrim Community Support Hub: https://www.oasisantrim.org/foodbank
- 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
