www.iva.co.uk

After watching a report on the increasing use of food banks in the North West, I actually do feel lucky and blessed that I can manage with what I have left after paying all my bills and my IVA payment, not lording it or spending beyond my means any more. I can only feel for the people who HAVE to get the support from the food bank just so they and their kids get a meal. There is going to be a food collection in most Tesco and Asda stores this coming Sat and Sun, even if it has to be smart price items I will give a little of the little I have.

A wonderful gesture to add something to the collection.

I can go along with your thinking within an IVA we do have allowances for food etc., Some times it's a temporary thing until benefits have come through that they use the food bank but even so I'm sure they'd rather not. Luckily we have generous people and volunteers who run such things. x

I am actually helping to collect this Sunday morning at sainsbury's.....here's hoping the generous donations are able o support people over the Xmas period.

Well we bought items off a shopping list that was given to us on the way in. £20 which we could ill afford this time of year, however I feel cheap that we could not afford to give more.

Yes, Merlin, our food bank volunteers were handing out shopping lists on the way in to |Tesco, when we did our shop. Gave them a few bits and bobs --- never know, we might be using the bank ourselves one day !

i wonder if tescos are donating anything themselves

What intrigues me is when I walk home from work I walk past Greggs and they're clearing the shelves of unsold products into a black bag, what happens to these loaves etc? I may ask one day as I'm sure there must be a homeless shelter that would collect for free x

I don't know what the stance is these days, and I know some stores do donate late dated food to charities. But I recall, when I lived in Sussex Tesco used to donate, but suddenly stopped and started destroying the food instead --- that oft used excuse of Health & Safety was bandied about at the time.

Trouble is, in these litigeous times, I could see them being sued for giving someone an upset stomach ( or worse), so, to a degree, I can see their point, sad as that is.

I can see your point there Foggy and I guess that's what it's all about. Two mins earlier though if I'd have gone in they'd have sold me a loaf. Crazy crazy world we live in. x

I used to work for a bakers and unsold bread and some cakes (such as jam doughnuts) had to be thrown out each night. Other cakes were classed as keepcakes and therefore kept a few days, hence me being quite choosy about what I eat now!

I have to say that, while I can see what the collectors from the food bank were trying to achieve, if someone had given me a shopping list I wouldn't have been very happy and would have told them they should be grateful for any donations. I hate it when charities are so specific and that is one of the reasons I rarely donate to human charities.

I don't think they were being picky, more steering us donors into giving stuff with a long shelf life, as well as non-food items you wouldn't otherwise consider.