This is how you can donate to Chichester Foodbank this summer

From Thursday (July 15) to Saturday (July 17) special donation points will be put up at the Tesco Extra, with customers being asked to donate essential items of long-life food such as tinned soup, tinned vegetables, jams, spreads and tinned fruit.

The collection has been organised by Tesco as part of a drive to help support children and families throughout the summer holidays.

The supermarket will top up customers’ food donations with a financial donation of 20 per cent of the value of the items donated, which will support Chichester District Foodbank in the provision of emergency food parcels and practical support.

There are also a number of other donation points across the district:

*St John’s Hall, St John’s Street, (off East Street), Chichester

*County Hall, West Street, Chichester

*Co-op locals (Bognor Road, Denvilles, East Wittering, Lavant, Parklands, Petworth, Selsey, Southbourne, Spitalfield Lane, Stockbridge Road, Tangmere and Westbourne)

*Waitrose, Via Ravenna, Chichester

*Chichester Cathedral, collection basket at back of Cathedral

*Tesco Express, 10 North St, Midhurst (in-store purchases only)

*Sainsbury’s, Westhampnett Road, Chichester

*Sainsbury’s, Bepton Road, Midhurst

*Lidl, Unit 1 Westhampnett Rd, Chichester

*One-Stop (Eddie’s Convenience Store) 1 Millfield Cl, Chichester

*One-Stop, 63 St Paul’s Rd, Chichester

Joanne Kondabeka, CEO of Chichester District Foodbank, said: “In the last year, we provided emergency food parcels to over 5,800 people in crisis in the local area. But we know it doesn’t have to be like this.

“No one in Chichester District should be facing hunger. We want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all. We’re determined to work alongside other food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network to bring about long-term change to end hunger not only during the holidays, but at any time of year.

“However, while we work to tackle the reasons why people don’t have enough money for the basics, 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 throughout the summer months.”

The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of over 1,300 food banks including Chichester District Foodbank, has seen its highest ever demand for emergency food parcels over the last year.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “No one should face the indignity of needing emergency food. Yet 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 do all they can to help families meet the extra financial pressures of the summer holidays. But your support by donating during the Tesco Summer Food Collection this month will be vital 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.”

The Tesco Summer Food Collection will take place in Tesco Superstores and Tesco Extra stores from Thursday, July 15 to Saturday, July 17, and in Tesco Express stores from Monday, July 12 to Saturday, August 28.

The event is in addition to the pre-Christmas Tesco Food Collection which Tesco holds annually at the end of November.

For more information, visit www.chichesterdistrict.foodbank.org.uk