As families open their Advent calendars, a local co-operative is asking whether you could give as well as receive this year.
Southern Co-op, which supports nearly 50 food banks at its stores across the south of England, is hosting a reverse Christmas Advent calendar starting on 1st December.
Up to 24th December, customers will be asked to consider donating a specific item of food or drink which will get taken to the local food bank.
As the demand for food banks has increased considerably during the pandemic, the donated goods will all help someone in need this winter.
Bramble: A fun and affordable way to get involved
Holly Bramble, Community and Campaign Co-ordinator at Southern Co-op, said:
“We want to help as many families as possible so have launched this fun and affordable way for customers, colleagues and members to get involved.
“A few weeks ago we launched a new funding pot, Feed a Family Fund, for local food banks to get small grants to help them cover the costs of essentials such as replacement equipment.
“We know not everyone can afford to donate money so this is another way people can help local families and individuals who have fallen on hard times.
“We trialled the reverse Advent calendar at our head office last year and lots of colleagues got involved, so hopefully this will build on the great community spirit we have seen throughout 2020.”
A different item each day
Each day will have a different suggested item to donate and include laundry detergent, sauces, pasta, rice, toiletries, biscuits, nuts, tinned fish and meat, jam, breakfast cereal, tea, coffee, tinned desserts, long life juice, instant mashed potatoes, tinned fruit and vegetables, squash and long life milk.
Southern Co-op currently has three stores under The Co-operative Food with food bank collection points. These are:
- Cowes in Mill Hill Road, Freshwater in Afton Road, Ryde in West Street, and Shanklin in Regent Street.
To find out more about the reverse Advent calendar, visit visit the Website. Alternatively, donations to the Feed a Family Fund can be made at the till in a Southern Co-op retail store or via the Neighbourly Website.
News shared by Southern Co-op in their own words. Ed
