VOLUNTEERS are needed to help collect food donations in the North-East for people in need this winter.

The collections are for food redistribution charity FareShare who with foodbank charity The Trussell Trust are taking part in Tesco’s Neighbourhood Food Collection, the fifth of its kind.

Volunteers can sign up at selected Tesco Metro stores in Newcastle, Durham and Sunderland from next Thursday (November 27) to Saturday (November 29).

Customers at these stores will be given a shopping list and asked to donate items of food such as tins of meat, fish, pies, soup, vegetables and fruit, pasta, rice, cooking sauces, tea, coffee and long life milk at the end of their shopping trips.

The food will then be delivered to FareShare North East’s regional centre who will redistribute it to local charities and community projects in the region supporting vulnerable people. Projects that benefit from the food donated include breakfast and afterschool clubs for vulnerable children, homeless hostels, lunch clubs for the elderly and local health charities.

Barry Densham, project manager of FareShare North East said: “Each volunteer can help us collect enough food for 500 meals in just 3 hours. The more volunteers we have the more food we can collect to help reach more people in need.

“It really is a fun and rewarding experience to be involved in one of the biggest food drives in the UK and it is something that you can do with your family, friends and local community.”

To volunteer at the Neighbourhood Food Collection register at www.fareshare.org.uk/food-collection-2014 / e-mail Nicola.ledsham@fareshare.org.uk / polly.hofmann@fareshare.org.uk or call 020 7394 2474.