LEADING charities are urging Wiltshire shoppers to donate food at their local Tesco to help support children and families across the UK this summer.

Tesco held a summer food collection this month for FareShare and the Trussell Trust at all of its UK large stores.

Shoppers are being urged to donate a variety of long-life foodstuffs to help FareShare supply thousands of community groups such as children’s holiday clubs and food pantries, and help the Trussell Trust’s network of food banks provide emergency parcels to families in crisis.

Tesco will give an extra little help in the form of a 20 per cent top up to the value of customer donations to assist the two charities in their vital work.

Julian Mines, chief executive officer at FareShare South West, said: “The items we receive from the Tesco Food Collection will help us to support a huge range of organisations working with children and families, from school holiday activity clubs and playgroups to breakfast and after school clubs.

“Your donations will make such a big difference to thousands of children at risk of going hungry this summer, so if you’re able to purchase just one item in your local Tesco store we would be so thankful.”

Food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network gave almost a million food parcels to support children last year.

Lucy Duffy, the Trussell Trust’s Wiltshire area manager, said: “No one in Wiltshire should face the indignity of needing emergency food."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 across Wiltshire do all they can to help families meet the extra pressures of missing free school meals or paying for additional childcare during the summer holidays."Your support by donating during the Tesco Summer Food Collection this July will be essential 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.”

Shoppers are being encouraged to pick up an item as they shop to drop in special donation trollies on the way out of the store.

In addition to the collection in large stores, Tesco Express stores will be collecting donations throughout the summer until August 28.

Customers who want to support FareShare and the Trussell Trust but are unable to shop in store are being encouraged to donate their Tesco Clubcard vouchers to them via the Tesco Clubcard website.