Tesco donates 5,000 pieces of fruit to help feed children during half-term

By Davina Hyde

A supermarket is donating 5,000 pieces of fruit to help children on free school meals over the half-term.

Tesco is supporting the Lewisham Mayoresses’ packed lunch appeal by donating the fruit to ensure children receive healthy lunches while they are off school.

The store, in Surrey Quays, is donating 2,500 apples and 2,500 oranges, and supplying a team of seven volunteers to help with the packing and delivering of the lunches across Lewisham.

Mark Casson, Surrey Quays store manager, said: “We take pride in supporting our local community with initiatives like this.

“The Mayoresses have put together a fantastic plan and we were only too pleased to be able to offer food, as well as volunteers, to help out.

“It is a great way to reduce the worry for parents who might otherwise have had a really difficult half-term when it comes to food.

“This year in particular, with the worries of Covid, it is even more important for Tesco in Surrey Quays to embrace our community spirit.”

Natasha Ricketts, one of the three Mayoresses, said: “In Lewisham we have so many fantastic community organisations and projects helping to feed our families and ensure nobody goes to bed hungry.”

Pictured top: The fruit being packed for the children