DURHAM MP Roberta Blackman-Woods has thrown her weight behind a neighbourhood food collection by a supermarket.

The Labour MP was at Gilesgate Tesco Extra store to show her support for the 9th Tesco Neighbourhood Food Collection, which is being held with The Trussell Trust and FareShare, and which donates food to people in need.

Tesco encourages customers to donate long-life food, such as dry pasta, tinned fish and vegetables and powdered milk at designated points in their stores, and this food is combined with a 20 per cent top-up donation from Tesco, along with surplus food from their online and fresh distribution centres.

Dr Blackman-Woods said: “The increase in the number of people relying on food banks is a shocking indictment on this Conservative government, and it is totally unacceptable that people in this country have to rely on the generosity of others in order to have enough food to live.

“I applaud the work that is being done by Tesco, The Trussell Trust, FareShare, and other food banks and charities to help people who find themselves in the extremely difficult situation of not being able to feed themselves or their families.

“But I hope that we can return to being a society where people cannot fall through the safety net to the extent that they cannot afford food or other basic essentials.”

She added: “I was really impressed by how easy Tesco made it to contribute to the Neighbourhood Food Collection, and I want to applaud the work of all the staff and volunteers that has gone into making it such a success.“In the run up to Christmas, I encourage everyone to donate what they can so that no family is hungry at Christmas.”