Tesco shows support for Salisbury Foodbank with trolley dash
It's not the first bit of help the supermarket have given the charity this year
Father Christmas has completed a quick run around Tesco on Southampton Road for families across Salisbury.
He took part in a trolley dash around the store, buying gifts for 77 children in the city.
The event took place last night (Friday 11th December) with a trolley complete with a flashing reindeer head alongside some little elf helpers, including Salisbury Foodbank manager Maria Stevenson.
Tesco gave the charity and Santa £500 to go round and grab presents in one run around the store.
They will be then be given to the 77 local children who were nominated to be given a toy.
Maria told Greatest Hits Radio that any support is grateful after a difficult year:
"Everybody has had such a terrible year this year, we did a Christmas event last year and it was really successful but we've had to change the model slightly because a lot of the gifts we received last year from people that donated them haven't been able to give that support again which is where Tesco has stepped in but I felt it was really important to still be able to give the gifts and more than we were able to last year because so many families are struggling, we've seen an increase in food bank usage and if we can lighten the load a little bit for those families before Christmas hopefully they'll have a much better season.
People were struggling before Covid, some people with 100% of their salaries were just getting by and they might now be on furlough or out of work due to insecure jobs and so people that were struggling have really hit rock bottom just before Christmas so we're so happy our supporters are here to provide for those families and so are some of the big supermarkets stepping forward to say we want to help too."
It's not the only bit of support Tesco are providing the foodbank with this year.
They have already run a food collection service at stores in Salisbury, Amesbury and Tidworth, which the charity say they were "blown away" by.
That was part of a partnership between the supermarket and the Trussell Trust, who say donations are vital this Christmas after the pandemic.
In November, Chief Executive of the Trussell Trust, Emma Revie, told Greatest Hits Radio:
"We have already seen a shocking 47% increase over the first six months of this pandemic and it looks like it will get even tougher for people on the lowest incomes as we go into winter.
We don't think it's right that anyone should come to a food bank, but whilst we're facing this level of need everything you can do, every can you can donate in store will make a difference and it will enable our food banks to support people now and over the winter months."
You can donate to Salisbury Foodbank by visiting their website.