KIND-HEARTED shoppers have been thanked for their efforts to alleviate poverty and reduce food waste.
Tesco has reached the milestone of donating 220 million meals to those in need through its Community Food Connection programme with the food charity FareShare.
To commemorate the occasion, Tesco has paid tribute to the volunteers, community groups and Tesco colleagues who have contributed to the success of the partnership.
Over the years, the West Midlands has donated 9,200,811 meals.
One of the groups that has received donations from the Community Food Connection scheme is Northleigh House School in Hatton.
Northleigh House is a school for children who have experienced bullying and have high anxiety, providing a safe environment to learn. Every week, the team collects food from Tesco Solihull through the Community Food Connection programme, in partnership with FareShare Go, to provide food for breakfast and cooking classes for children.
Elaine Hoggarth, wellbeing mentor at Northleigh House School, said: “The food we collect weekly from Tesco Solihull store is invaluable to us.
“We are a small independent school with students who suffer from high anxiety. We use every bit of the food we collect.
“The majority of it is used in the cookery lessons, which take place all day, and every day of the week. Our cookery teacher devises recipes to ensure that all of the Tesco donations are put to their best use.
“We also use the food for Life Skills lessons, where the students get the opportunity to try foods they would otherwise not taste. Aubergines, chillies, mangoes and avocadoes are a few examples.
“We are so grateful to FareShare and Tesco for their generosity.”
Now in its 12th year, Tesco’s partnership with FareShare means surplus food from Tesco stores and distribution centres are donated to FareShare’s network of charities, community groups and food banks.
Matthew Barnes, UK chief executive of Tesco, said: “Tesco is immensely proud of its partnership with FareShare and the fantastic achievement of donating 220 million meals over the last 12 years. None of this could have been done without the passion, determination and drive of the countless people in places such as the West Midlands who have contributed to it.”
