TESCO customers can make a huge difference to the lives of Ayrshire people facing hunger and hardship by donating long-life items this week.

Stores across the region are taking part in the 12th annual Tesco Winter Food Collection, with donated items going directly to the charities Trussell and FareShare.

Both charities expect to see extremely high demand for their services this winter, and the Food Collection provides vital extra donations.

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, said: “Our partners tell us they’ve seen even more families needing their help and they expect demand to increase this winter.

"We’re encouraging Ayrshire customers to donate whatever they can to our Winter Food Collection.

"With frontline charities and foodbanks facing exceptionally high demand this year, pre-packed donation bags make it easy to make a big difference to someone else’s Christmas.

Tesco is making its pre-packed customer donation bags available at even more stores in an effort to top the 2 million meals donated at last year’s collection.

The bags, which typically cost between £2 and £3, are pre-filled with healthy and nutritious long-life items and can be picked up by customers in store and paid for at the checkout.

The donated food is passed to FareShare and Trussell, who will distribute it to charities and food banks to help families who need it most.