MORE than 7,000 meals were donated to Runcorn and District Foodbank by big hearted shoppers in just one store.

The food has been given to families in crisis in emergency food parcels.

Supermarket shoppers at Tesco in Helsby were asked to donate long-life items to help people in need as part of their usual shop, with Tesco topping up the value of the customer donations by 20 per cent.

The foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust foodbank network.

Thanks to customers’ generosity and the Tesco top-up this year’s collection has seen more than three million meals worth of food donated to help people in need.

It brings the overall total donated by Tesco shoppers since the food collection scheme began in 2012 to more than 49 million meals.

The 20 per cent top–up donation provided by Tesco helps the charities in their work by providing funding to run the foodbanks and distribute the food to those in need.

Colin Keiley, manager of Runcorn Foodbank, said: “Thank you so much to everyone who donated during the food collection.

“In Runcorn, Frodsham and Helsby to make sure there is enough emergency food for people referred to us so we’re very grateful for the way the community pulled together in the lead up to this Christmas.

“Because of your support in the last few weeks the foodbank has been able to help hundreds of local people and the warehouse is bursting at the seams–a huge thank you.

“And of course we need to thank the volunteers who gave up their time to help.”

Samantha Stapley, head of operations at The Trussell Trust, said: “Our foodbank network has spent the last month making sure that people referred to them with no money for food don’t go hungry this Christmas. “This work has been made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of Tesco customers, store colleagues and volunteers during the Food Collection.

“Thank you for your support - your generosity has stopped hunger this Christmas.”

Tesco’s head of community Alec Brown said: “Every year we are taken aback by the generosity of customers who give to the food collection in our stores across the UK.

“We know that this annual collection will make a real difference in Runcorn, Frodsham and Helsby and we would like to thank everyone who has donated, volunteered or helped with the food collection in store.

“Food collection is just one of the ways that Tesco has been supporting the two food charities.

“A donation to the charities has also been made for every fresh turkey sold in Tesco stores and for every pack of Tesco Finest candy cane flavoured crisps sold over the festive period.”

The supermarket’s clothing range F&F has also been selling festive-themed hats with a heart with a donation of £1 from each hat split between FareShare and The Trussell Trust.

More than 164,000 of the hats have been sold.