MORE than 26,000 meals were donated by Somerset shoppers to feed those in need this Christmas.

In Tesco stores across the UK, there was an annual food collection in November.

And Somerset stores managed to collect 26,349 meals in total.

Tesco’s head of community, Claire De Silva, thanked those in Somerset who supported the annual collection during what had been a particularly challenging year.

“With most of the UK in lockdown holding the collection was always going to be a challenge, but once again we have been amazed by the generosity of our Somerset customers – and the fact that we have now collected more than a million meals nationally is amazing," she said.

“We know that every single can, jar or packet donated is helping someone who needs support this winter.

"We are immensely proud of the vital support our customers and colleagues have been able to give to the two charities in these very challenging times."

The food donations help both the Trussel Trust and FareShare feed those in need.

Phoebe Ruxton, head of development at FareShare South West, added: “This year has been so difficult for so many people and FareShare has seen demand for our food skyrocket.

"We continue to provide over two million meals per week to vulnerable communities across the UK, and 90% of the organisations we work with expect demand to remain the same as at peak crisis levels, or even increase through the winter.

“We are immensely grateful to every single person in Somerset who donated food during this year’s Tesco Food Collection.”

The latest Tesco collection was held on November 19, 20 and 21.

Trussell Trust CEO Emma Revie said: “Throughout 2020, communities across the UK have stepped in to provide vital support to people left without enough money for the basics.

"And we have been truly humbled to see how much people are willing to give to food banks in our network as they face their busiest winter ever.

“It’s not right that any of us are forced to a charity for food but thanks to the incredible compassion and generosity of Tesco customers during the Tesco Food Collection, food banks in our network are able to continue to provide the lifeline of emergency support for local people in crisis this winter, while we work in the long term to build a hunger-free future.”