Peterborough and Cambridgeshire food banks are getting a share of a £100,000 donation by Central England Co-operative.

The money donated to Peterborough, Cambridge and Yaxley food banks will support the 72,085 children currently living in poverty in this area.

The £100,000 total donation to FareShare Midlands by Central England Co-operative will create over 365,000 meals for youngsters at risk of holiday hunger this summer. By working with partners and securing match funding, 15,000 meals will be created in East Anglia.

As part of its Summer Support for Kids campaign, the retailer handed over the six-figure sum to its food redistribution partner to provide food and resources to children over the summer months and for campaigning to see a change in Government policy to provide better support for those in need.

The campaign is also urging customers and members to support a food bank appeal and donate food items to support those impacted by summer holiday hunger due to lack of access to free school meals out of term time. For the first time, items such as arts, crafts and school supplies to help kids with their school work and keep them occupied during the summer months can also be donated.

In just over two weeks, the food bank appeal has seen over 10,000 items donated across over 260 stores in 16 counties.

Hannah Gallimore, Corporate Responsibility Manager, said: “We are delighted to see that our donation to FareShare Midlands is going to help create 365,000 meals for youngsters at risk across our entire trading estate.

“We are proud of the amazing relationship we have had with such a great organisation for several years now and the reach and impact that this donation will have is further proof of the value of continuing to work together to help those in need during the summer months and beyond.

“However, we still need to do more so please, if you can, support our food bank appeal when you visit our stores by popping an item or two into our collection points to further benefit a local food bank partner.

“Now, more than ever, we need to come together as a community and co-operate to ensure that no child goes hungry.”

The campaign comes on the back of research, by FareShare Midlands, that shows that across the 16 counties Central England Co-op trades, 1,163,134 children are currently living in poverty and face being impacted by holiday hunger - only 25 per cent of which are actually accessing any kind of support such as free school meal vouchers reinforcing the call that more needs to be done to help.

Simone Connelly, Director of FareShare Midlands, said: “We are delighted to receive such a generous donation from long term supporters, Central England Coop, which will enable us to reach thousands of children across the Midlands this summer.

“With so many families facing financial hardship, affording healthy, nutritious food for their children can be extremely difficult.

“By working with local partners we aim to ease that burden and ensure children stay well fed and active this summer, putting them in the best possible place to start back at school in September.”

The appeal will run from now until September and all customers and members have to do is drop items off in special collection points located in every store.

Items that can be donated include shopping basket staples from tea, sugar and cereals to other essentials such as toiletries and hygiene products. Also, food banks have requested drinks for children, as well as vital sun cream and after sun.

For the first time this year other items needed include small arts and crafts items such as crayons and paints, as well as school supplies such as pencil cases and stationery.

Keep up-to-date with the campaign by visiting www.centralengland.coop/updates