Charity Seeks Assistance for Holiday Food Collections

A food distribution charity is appealing for public assistance with its upcoming festive collections. Volunteers are required to support FareShare Sussex and Surrey in greeting shoppers and gathering food donations at ten Tesco supermarkets. Last year, 89 volunteers contributed to collecting over 16 tonnes of food during a three-day period. The charity is also requesting contributions of dry goods and essential pantry items to aid individuals across both counties. The collection drive is scheduled to operate from 09:00 to 21:00 between November 28 and 30, with volunteers working three-hour shifts. Gemma Bradshaw, FareShare’s volunteer co-ordinator, stated: “Each shift has two or three people. So you can come with your friends or family and sign up to stand in front of the store with a collection area and help to collect food, which is really valuable to us.” Each week, the charity delivers food to 150 projects throughout Sussex and Surrey. These range from food banks and community fridges to initiatives that bring people together for meals, including those who might otherwise be alone at Christmas. The organization sources surplus food from businesses, supermarkets, and farms. Jan Lawford, who volunteers at the charity’s depot in Guildford and also delivers food, commented: “As we’re coming up to Christmas with a lot of families struggling financially, then obviously it’s super important if anybody can make a contribution, no matter how big or small.” Participating Tesco stores include Lewes, Hove, Portslade, Shoreham, Littlehampton, Burgess Hill, Gatwick, and Crawley. This year, collections will also take place at large Tesco supermarkets in Haslemere and Guildford. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.