This Leeds supermarket and a city food bank hope to help more people by linking up

Wendy Doyle, manager of Leeds SE Foodbank (left) with Rachel Cunningham of Asda

Colleagues at Asda Middleton helped to launch the drive for food donations at the store, as part of a nationwide effort by the supermarket chain.

There will be special collection points for shoppers to donate supplies to the Leeds South and East Foodbank, when they are buying their own goods.

The drive is taking place in stores throughout July, to help meet the increased demand that food banks have struggled with during the pandemic.

For the first time, signposts across shelves will help highlight the most in-demand items needed by a local foodbank.

The initiative is part of Asda’s Fight Hunger Create Change programme, working in partnership with foodbank charity The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare, to invest at least £20 million to try to lift one million people in the UK out of food poverty.

Rachel Cunningham, community champion at Asda Middleton, said: “We’re always overwhelmed by the sheer volume of donations our generous customers and colleagues make, not just through initiatives like this food drive, but throughout the year as they donate to our collection points in store.

“These donations will make a huge difference to the local community, as well as on a larger scale as we continue to help people out of poverty.”

Earlier this year, Asda donated an additional £5 million to its partners FareShare and the Trussell Trust to help people through Covid-19. The split donation is helping to provide over four million meals to families who are experiencing poverty, and giving 3,000 charities the ability to access free food to help tackle the impacts of Coronavirus in their communities.