Midcounties Co-op relaunches Food Bank Fund

The Midcounties Co-operative has relaunched its Food Bank Fund initiative this Christmas to help raise vital donations and support for its food bank partners ahead of the challenging month of January.

Throughout December, Midcounties will urge members, customers and colleagues to make monetary donations via till points, as well as drop essential items into each store’s food bank collection boxes.

The donations raised from the 228 Co-op Food stores in December will be totalled up and distributed equally to each of its 70 food bank partners in January, when demand for food bank services typically peaks. In addition to this, the regional co-operative has also committed to donating any surplus food at its 25 Food Market stores to local food banks in the first week of January.

Initially launched at the start of the pandemic, the Food Bank Fund has since raised over £50,000 for its food bank partners across Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

“Local food banks provide a vital service to communities all year round, but each year they feel the most pressure and demand for their services in January,” Phil Ponsonby, Midcounties Co-op chief executive said

“After what’s been an especially difficult couple of years for many people, it’s never been so important for local communities to come together to help support those most in need. That’s why we’re relaunching our Food Bank Fund and are encouraging all of those who can afford it to donate what they can, of monetary or product value, at our stores this Christmas.”

This year the retailer will also work with its anti-food waste partner, Too Good To Go, to donate £1 from each ‘magic bag’ of discounted food sold to the fund.

Paschalis Loucaides, UK managing director at Too Good To Go, said: “It is devastating to see how many people in the UK do not have access to food when so much goes to waste on a daily basis. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to be working with The Midcounties Co-operative on their Food Bank Fund initiative this Christmas to help support the worthwhile and vital work of our country’s food banks.”