TWO tonnes of food and provisions were donated to those in need by generous shoppers at a Southend store.

Southchurch Foodbank took part in the national Tesco collection event organised by the Trussell Trust.

Over three days, volunteers of the foodbank in Southchurch handed out shopping lists to customers using the Prince Avenue store and asking them to donate one or two items.

These were then collected and transported to the foodbank’s depot in Southchurch Road each day.

The amount collected has astonished the 120 volunteers who took part in the event.

Cass Francis, the foodbank’s administrator, said: “Not only did we collect two tonnes of food, but Tesco pledges to give us a percentage in cash based on how much we collect. We reckon that could be £1,000.

“We had four shifts of people working at Tesco and people at the warehouse. In all, we had 40 volunteers a day. The kindness of people was amazing.

“We wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for such generous people.

The Tesco Prince Avenue store have been a great support to the foodbank.

“I spent two hours there on Saturday morning for the first time, as I’m usually in the warehouse for these types of collections, and even the store manager, Himat Pindoria, came to assist us handing out our shopping lists to customers as they arrived.

“Southchurch Foodbank would be nothing without the effort of the volunteers who work in front and behind the scenes.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to the overwhelming generosity of the public that have donated food to us this weekend, as well as regularly throughout the year.”

Two tonnes of food donated is equivalent of 6,449 meals for people in food poverty in the Southend and Rochford area.

Shoppers at Tesco give to Southchurch Foodbank

DONATIONS IN NUMBERS

120 volunteers involved over the course of the three days.

16 volunteers covered shifts in the Tesco store each day, organised by Dino Rossi, as well as bringing the food to the warehouse.

24 warehouse volunteers each day, lead by Anita Chaplin and John Anderson, weighed, dated and stored the donated food.

2,083.5KG was the total donated. It breaks down as: 659.0 kg on Thursday; 675.4kg on Friday; and 749.1kg on Saturday