Supermarket food scheme aims to help the needy

In Motherwell, 259 meals have been donated and have already benefited local charities.

The scheme, with FareShare FoodCloud, recruits and supports charities and community groups, linking them to Tesco stores via an app that allows store teams to alert them to surplus unsold food items at the end of each day.

The food is free, and will include fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, bakery products and chilled food like meat, cheese and ready meals.

Since launching in February last year Community Food Connection has helped provide 10 million meals to over 5,000 charities and community groups, whose service users might otherwise go hungry.

Tesco has stated its commitment to ensure no food fit for human consumption will go to waste from their UK retail operations by the end of 2017.

Tesco is now set to extend Community Food Connection to its convenience stores across Motherwell, which will significantly extend the number of charities reached and the number of meals given to people in need.

Groups that benefit include homeless shelters, substance abuse rehabilitation services, after-school clubs, foodbanks and domestic violence refuges.

Tony McElroy, Tesco head of communications (pictured), said: “At Tesco we have no time for waste.

“We’re so proud to already support local charities and community groups through Community Food Connection from our larger stores in Motherwell and to be able to extend that support to our convenience stores is fantastic.

“We are looking forward to forging more strong links with local charities and community groups in Motherwell and supporting their efforts to help more vulnerable people in our community.”

If you are a charity or community group that could benefit from the support of Community Food Connection, visit www.fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-foodcloud to register