VOLUNTEERS from The Forest Foodbank are encouraging shoppers to “pick up an extra item or two” to donate to those in need this week.

Representatives from the charity will be at Lydney Tesco from Thursday (June 30) to Saturday (July 2) to urge customers to purchase additional items to drop into special donations trolleys on their way out of the store.

The action is part of Tesco’s Summer Food Collection, which comes as a result of a partnership with national foodbank network the Trussell Trust.

Correne Preston, manager of The Forest Foodbank, is urging locals to “give generously” to the collection during their shop.

She said: “No one in the Forest should be facing hunger and we want to see an end to local people needing emergency food at all.

“While we work alongside other food banks in the Trussell Trust network to bring about long-term change to ensure everyone has enough money for the essentials, any donations of our most-needed items will be invaluable.

“Thanks to Tesco and the generosity of its customers, we hope to continue to offer vital support to families and children over the coming months, which will know will be particularly tough for many people in the local area.”

The trust says that foodbank support is needed now more than ever, as the cost of living crisis “continues to bite”.

It says families are facing their biggest income squeeze in a generation, and many people on the very lowest incomes are struggling to put food on the table.

Donations made in Lydney will be used to support people across the Forest who are experiencing hardship and will be forced to use a food bank over the coming months.

Tesco has also pledged to “top up” customers’ food donations with a financial contribution of 20 per cent of the value of the items donated.

The funds will be donated to The Forest Foodbank to provide emergency food parcels and practical support for people in the district.

Customers will be asked to donate essential items of long-life food, such as long-life milk, tinned fruit, long-life fruit juice and noodle and pasta pots.

Volunteers will be on hand to collect the donations from 9.30am til 4.30pm.

For more information about The Forest Foodbank, go to www.theforest.foodbank.org.uk.