Rethink food bank ban plea (From Andover Advertiser)

Rethink food bank ban plea

7:32am Friday 29th June 2007 in Search Module By Dick Bellringer

A 10-year-old boy has sent a heartfelt plea asking Tesco to let Andover Food Bank resume collections for needy people after the charity was banned from approaching customers outside the River Way superstore.

The food bank was launched just over a year ago and negotiated with Tesco to have four collections a year outside the Andover superstore, picking up on average half a ton of food each time.

But Tesco pulled the plug on the collections after it received complaints from customers.

Food bank chairman Patrick Lavell said: "The tragedy for us is that it gave us access to a tremendous number of customers."

It was important not just for the food collected but also for the number of people who could help spread the word about the food bank.

Now young Callum Fitzpatrick, of Middle Wallop, has written to Tesco appealing to them to restore the collections.

He said in his letter: "The bank is helping so many families and your customers were very kind in giving food.

"Now that the bank cannot collect outside your store the only people who will suffer are those who are suffering in the first place."

Callum decided to write the letter after the food bank's plight was raised during a service at Farleigh School, where he is a pupil.

The food bank is desperately looking for, and negotiating, alternative collection points so that it can continue to meet an increased demand for food for families in crisis.

A Tesco spokesman said: "After quite a large customer feedback it was clear that this was an arrangement that they did not feel entirely comfortable with, so we felt compelled to end it."

But he said he would speak to the store following complaints that it did not consult with the food bank, and Mr Lavell said he would welcome talks with the store.