Volunteers needed as major UK food donation drive launches ahead of festive season

A major food donation drive has launched across the UK ahead of the festive season, and volunteers are needed to lend a hand.

With spooky season nearly over and Christmas fast approaching, food banks and charities will be facing record levels of need this winter, and because of this, a call for volunteers has been put out nationwide.

People being urged to “give the gift of their time” and take part.

Organised by one of the country’s biggest supermarket chains, and supported by the two leading food poverty organisations, Trussell and FareShare, the Tesco Winter Food Collection is now in its twelfth year and will taking place at hundreds of Tesco stores throughout the UK over the last few days of November.

Tesco shoppers will be encouraged to donate long-life food to support the charities in their work throughout the colder months.

Donations for Trussell will help its network of food banks provide emergency food parcels to people who are unable afford the essentials this winter, while donations to FareShare will support its network of 8,000 local charities and community groups working to feed people in local communities nationwide. 

Volunteers are needed at collection points in store to speak to customers and “raise awareness of the impact” that every donation will have on those who rely on Trussell and FareShare for food.

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“Every year, our Winter Food Collection gets such an amazing response from our customers,” explained Claire De Silva, who is the Head of Community at Tesco.

“We know that they give even more generously when we have volunteers in our stores helping them to choose the right items that are needed, so we would urge anyone who can to please sign up and help make a difference.”

Read more:

• Aldi, Morrisons, and M&S are all looking for thousands of temporary staff this Christmas
• The UK’s biggest employer of seasonal Santas is recruiting in Greater Manchester
• A fifth of Brits have apparently already started doing their Christmas shopping

Can you help?

Donations and volunteers are said to be needed “now more than ever”, so you can find out more and sign up to volunteer in your local Tesco store with FareShare here, or with Trussell here.

Featured Image – Tesco