Tesco gives South Tyneside charity a festive £500 food donation

Staff from Tesco’s store in Tower Place, South Shields, gave a £500 food donation to the South Tyneside Churches’ Key Project and helped sort the goods into packs.

The charity, based in Baring Street, South Shields, provides advice, support and accommodation to young people aged 16 to 25

The food donation consisted of items including tinned pies, fish and vegetables and tinned meals as well as dried pasta and milk.

Store Manager, Helen Harber, said: “Key Project is a small local charity which does an enormous amount of work to help and support young people and we are delighted to be able to help with this donation.

“Colleagues who went along to help to sort through donations were amazed by just how much Key Project does and the support they receive from the local community. They all do fantastic work and it is greatly appreciated by everyone.”

The Key Project was set up in 1992 by volunteers from several local churches that came together after a homeless young man died on the streets in winter. It has grown steadily since then and now employs 10 workers and 15 volunteers, helping up to 100 young people annually.

Jo Benham-Brown from the charity said: “Our work supports young people who are experiencing hardship and/or are threatened with homelessness. We rely on donations from local businesses and the community to help people who use our service.

“The donation from Tesco is vital in helping to provide food packs for those in need and we are extremely grateful for their help.”