A retail food store manager in Wiltshire is urging people to give generously to food banks as the cost of living crisis deepens and energy companies hike their prices.

Ian Seymour, store manager of the Tesco Express in Frome Road, Trowbridge, was speaking out following a fact-finding visit to the Trowbridge Storehouse food bank in Emmanuel’s Yard just off Church Street.

He said: “I have recently taken over as the manager and come from the Bath area and have a real community passion to help other people.

“I recently went and worked with the Trowbridge Storehouse Food bank in Emmanuel's Yard, Church Street, to see for myself how things are run and to really understand why the food bank is so important to people.

“I must say I was moved by the generosity of donations that people gave but the team at the Foodbank who give up their own time to help others on a daily basis.

“We know it’s a challenging time for everyone at the moment as we see the cost of living rise.

“In the UK, more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children.

“As a nation we expect no one should be left hungry in or destitute – illness, disability, family breakdown or the loss of a job could happen to any of us.

“Please make a difference and donate an item or items in your local Tesco shop into the food bank basket which is located in all our stores.”

Jill Neighbour, manager of the Trowbridge Storehouse, said: “Ian was fantastic. He stayed and worked with us for the whole day and even dished out food for the community lunch.

“We showed him our refresh stuff and he has gone away to work something out to support that as well.”

Mrs Neighbour says demand has gone up and demographics have changed as the cost of living crisis bites into household budgets.

“We used to see something like 100 people a week, now it is more like 150 and they are people on low incomes and Ukrainian refugees as well as the people we usually see.”

Anyone wishing to donate food and personal hygiene items can do so through the food bank collection bins at major stores.

They can also bring in supplies direct to the food bank, particularly of perishable items such as milk, cheese and butter.