WYRE Forest residents have given 3,800 meals to families in need.

Non-perishable items, including long-life milk, cereals and tinned fruit, were handed over to Kidderminster Foodbank at donation points in Tesco stores, as part of the fourth neighbourhood food collection event.

The national initiative, held from July 3 to 5, is a partnership between the supermarket, foodbank charity the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare.

Locally Tesco shops, including the superstore in Kidderminster, the metro store in Stourport and the express stores in Foley Park and Spennells, took park in the collection, with support from 20 Kidderminster Foodbank volunteers.

Maureen Lewis, project manager at Kidderminster Foodbank, said: “The people of Wyre Forest were very generous. The event was really successful and our shelves are now full, which is fantastic.

“Tesco also made a cash contribution to the value of 30 per cent of the donated goods, which we can spend to provide additional items we are running low on.”

She added that the collection was organised to help alleviate food poverty problems in the summer caused when low-income families, who normally receive free school meals, struggle to afford extra meals for their children.

Kidderminster Foodbank, based at Baxter Church Hall, provides three days’ non-perishable emergency food and support to people in crisis who are referred by frontline care professionals.

In the past year the charity has supported 3,500 people across Wyre Forest.