Generous shoppers at the Copdock Tesco store donated food items across the weekend as teams from Rotary Clubs of Ipswich collected donations for the Families in Need (FIND) foodbank.

Ipswich Star: Sarah and Oscar Mann giving food for the foodbank pictured with Paul Seymour. Picture: SEANA HUGHESSarah and Oscar Mann giving food for the foodbank pictured with Paul Seymour. Picture: SEANA HUGHES

In August the foodbank reported its shelves were almost bare because of a high demand for food parcels and a decline in donations.

After hearing the news the rotary clubs gathered at the Tesco store on Saturday and Sunday where they encouraged shoppers to donate a food item to the foodbank during their shop.

Volunteers reported that one shopper donated nearly half a trolley’s worth of food on Sunday alone.

Bob Mawkes from the clubs, said: “Everything we have collected will be given to them – they are quite short at the moment.

Ipswich Star: The Rotary Clubs of Ipwich collecting food at Codock Tesco for the foodbank. David White and Paul Seymour with Mandy Lloyd from Tesco. Picture: SEANA HUGHESThe Rotary Clubs of Ipwich collecting food at Codock Tesco for the foodbank. David White and Paul Seymour with Mandy Lloyd from Tesco. Picture: SEANA HUGHES

“We are very grateful for all the generous gifts given – what we have collected is very necessary and very welcome.”

The donations will today be taken from the store to FIND.

The club is expecting to carry out its usual collections around Christmas, where donations in the past have been “very generous” according to the clubs.