LAUNCESTON Foodbank have received nearly 1,000 tonnes of food following the three-day Food Collection at Launceston’s Tesco store, which ran from Thursday, November 21 to Saturday, November 23.

The Food Collection is a partnership between Tesco, the Trussell Trust, and FareShare. For three days each year, in the lead-up to Christmas, Tesco organises and hosts a nationwide drive to encourage customers to buy an extra item or two of food when they shop in store and donate it at the collection point on their way out. The food donated is used by the charities to support people who are struggling to put food on the table.

Each participating Trussell Trust foodbank is partnered with a local Tesco store and works with volunteers and Tesco staff, greeting shoppers on their way in to store and handing out shopping lists, showing items that the food bank needs most.

On the final day, Launceston Foodbank were joined by Tregadillett Guides, who spent the day helping out.

Launceston Foodbank manager Yvonne King said: “What we’re trying to do is collect as much food as possible for the foodbank.

“We have a pre-prepared shopping list and we hand them out and ask if Tesco customers can buy one item and place it in the trolly on the way out.

“Tregadillett Guides and their two leaders Beth Martin and Emma Boucher came along on the Saturday along with quite a few guides. The guides were on a rota with 2/3 on duty per hour. They helped us hand the leaflets out and collect food and put it in the trolley, which was great.

“They were also made aware of what we do at the foodbank. It was a learning curve for them and helps with the badges they’re working towards as individuals.

“Overall we collected just under a tonne of food and we actually collected £1,000 in money which is pretty good going for three days.”

Yvonne praised Tesco for their support, adding: “Tesco pay for everything to help us on the three days for stuff such as the leaflets.

“The staff at Tesco are brilliant and they took the food collected down for us to the foodbank in the dot.com vans.

“I’d just like to say a big thank you to the guides for giving up their time, Tesco for their fantastic support and the community we live in, who are amazing with what they give.

“It’s the community that gives to us and everything they do give stays in the community, it doesn’t go anywhere but just in the Launceston community.”