True to its slogan “Every Little Helps”, Tesco has been donating surplus food to Chabad’s Buckhurst Hill centre.

Chabad uses the fruit and vegetables distributed weekly through the supermarket’s Community Food Connection scheme to serve healthy snacks to children attending its playgroups. Other donations are included in food packages for those in need.

“We are funded purely from local donations and fundraising events so the food donations we receive from Tesco help a great deal,” said Chabad’s Rabbi Odom Brandman.

“During the summer, for example, we ran a camp for over 100 children and we were lucky to be given nice amounts of fruit from our local Tesco.

“We have always shopped in Tesco anyway and these donations have helped increase our working relationship.”

Tesco head of community David Page said: “Now that all our stores are taking part in Community Food Connection, there are more opportunities for groups to benefit from the free food provided under the scheme. I would invite any group that thinks they could benefit to contact FareShare [the largest UK charity tackling hunger and food waste].”