PEOPLE – young and old – on both sides of the border have been doing their bit to help local foodbanks.

From tomorrow (Thursday) until March 25, Caldicot Co-op is holding a special Caldicot Foodbank Fortnight which will see staff handing out Foodbank ‘shopping lists’ and collecting food donations near its entrance.

Co-op charity liaison, Vicky Huntley-Williams has organised the event to coincide with the build-up to Easter aware that some children miss out on Easter treats like chocolate eggs simply because their parents are going through a financial crisis.

Caldicot Foodbank’s Treasurer, Alan Parker, voiced his appreciation to the Co-op, adding that since Christmas, more food has been given to clients than has been received.

Among the items in short supply are UHT milk, tinned potatoes and tinned fruit, jam or marmalade, sugar, packets of biscuits and toilet rolls.

Meanwhile A Level pupils at Gloucestershire College Forest of Dean Campus have collected two supermarket trollies full of food so far for the Forest Foodbank scheme, which is run by the Trussell Trust, a national organisation.

The Trussell Trust’s 400-strong network of foodbanks provides a minimum of three days’ emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK.

Beth Whelan, media lecturer at Forest Sixth Form and co-ordinator of the project, said: “In addition to encouraging our students to think about the plight of people less fortunate than themselves overseas, it is important that they have the opportunity to contribute to their local community where people are also in crisis.

“We are going to make our first delivery to the Foodbank within the next few days and hope that this will be an ongoing scheme that the sixth form team can contribute towards.”