Leading charities are urging Oxford shoppers to donate food at their local Tesco to help support hungry children and families this summer.

From July 15 to 17 Tesco is holding a summer Food Collection in aid of FareShare and the Trussell Trust.

Shoppers are being urged to donate long-life foodstuffs to help supply thousands of community groups and to help the Trussell Trust’s food banks provide emergency parcels to families in crisis.

Tesco will give a 20 per cent top up to customer donations.

Lindsay Boswell, CEO at FareShare, said: “The items we receive from the Tesco Food Collection will help us to support a huge range of organisations working with children and families, from school holiday activity clubs and playgroups to breakfast and after school clubs.”

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Food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network gave out a record 2.5million emergency food parcels last year with more than 980,000 of these for children.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “No one should face the indignity of needing emergency food. This isn’t right.”

Shoppers will be greeted with a shopping list of items most-needed by their local food bank or FareShare regional centre, and can drop items in special donation trollies on the way out.

Tesco Express stores will also be collecting donations throughout the summer.

Customers who are unable to shop in store are being encouraged to donate their Tesco Clubcard vouchers via the Tesco Clubcard website.