STAFF from a Basingstoke supermarket have taken part in a trolley dash to raise awareness and collect items for a local foodbank.

Employees from supermarket giant Tesco, in Chineham, held a trolley dash to encourage shoppers to donate food to the Basingstoke Foodbank, which is based at the Trinity Methodist Church, in Sarum Hill.

The trolley dash, which took place at the end of November, pulled in 3,788 kilograms of food which adds up to approximately 9,019 meals.

Operations manager at the foodbank, Paula Vallance, and Tesco community champion, Julie Shepherd, raced around the store in seven-and-a-half minutes to collect each item on the list three times.

The items added up to £150.

The trolley dash formed part of a push to get customers to donate items such as tinned food, cereals and long-life milk to the foodbank.

Around 45 volunteers, including people from the church and volunteers from Basingstoke firm Eli Lilly, helped at the store during a six-day period and at the church to sort out donations.

In addition, pupils from Coppice Spring School, South View Junior School and Four Lanes Junior School volunteered during the week, handing out lists of most desired items.

Julie Shepherd, community champion at Tesco, told The Gazette: “We have just had to phone them because the bin is full again. Customers really seem to have taken it to their hearts.”

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