On Friday morning I visited Woolton’s Tesco superstore to donate goods to the annual Trussell Trust Food Bank Collection. Woolton Tesco supports local foodbanks throughout the year, donating the equivalent of 900 meals every month, but hold a three-day campaign every December to help out families struggling to make ends meet at this time of year.

The need for food banks has spiralled over the last 13 years. Many families this year will rely on a food bank to put food on the table this Christmas, which is why it is always so heartening to see shoppers buying extra items to donate on their way out of the store. This year food banks are in need of squash, long life juices, coffee, shampoo and tinned meat, fish and fruit. While I was in store several shoppers dropped items in with the volunteers to help others in their community. There are donation points in most supermarkets now for donations year round.