Your Co-op Food Launches Annual Food Bank Appeal To Help Support Its Local Communities This Christmas

Your Co-op Food has launched its annual Christmas Food Bank Appeal, asking its members and customers if they can bank on them to help provide vital donations to their local food bank partners for those most in need during the festive period.

183 Your Co-op Food stores has a collection point for its local food bank partner, allowing shoppers to drop off a range of essential items needed by families in the local area this Christmas.

The most in-need items will be highlighted in-store including tinned meat, condiments, household and health and beauty products, ensuring customers and store colleagues are working together to help provide the best possible support.

This year Your Co-op Food launched a reusable shopping bag, the only reusable bag now available to purchase for 70p in stores, with all profits from the sales donated to the Food Bank Fund. This will be distributed equally to its local food bank partners in January, when demand for food bank services typically peaks.

Tarra Simmons, Head of Community and Democratic Engagement at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “We know how vitally important food banks are for the local community all year round, but particularly during the winter months.

With the generous support of our members and customers, last Christmas we raised more than £20,000 for our local food bank partners which went a long way to support those who needed it most during the festive period and beyond – and we hope to achieve even more this year. 

Doing good in the local community is absolutely at the heart of what we do, and I want to thank all customers, members and colleagues who are able to donate what they can, together we can do good with every shop and continue to give back to the communities we serve.”

The Midcounties Co-operative’s Food Bank Fund was initially launched at the start of the pandemic to help ensure that all those in need could continue to access essential supplies. It has since raised over £100,000 for its food bank partners, which has been distributed across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

Colleagues are also encouraged to volunteer throughout the year at their local food bank, including over the festive period and into the New Year.

To find out more about The Midcounties Co-operative food bank support and where you can go if you need help, please visit: https://www.midcounties.coop/our-campaigns/supporting-food-banks

To join us as a member or for more information, please visit: https://www.midcounties.coop