Tesco is launching a new initiative this Easter to help support families facing hardship over the school holidays - with pre-packed food donation bags now available in its Isle of Man store.

The Easter Holiday Helps campaign runs until April 20 and is aimed at supporting children who miss out on free school meals outside term time.

The bags, filled with healthy long-life items, can be picked up and purchased by customers to donate directly to FareShare and the Trussell Trust.

Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, said: ‘With the lack of free school meal provision during the holidays, we know families find it difficult to make ends meet and give their kids nutritious meals. Our pre-packed donation bags will give a much-needed top-up and make a difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families.’

The campaign is part of Tesco’s wider Stronger Starts programme, which includes grants for over 400 schools with the highest rates of free school meals, and supports healthier eating during the school day.

The Trussell Trust says two-thirds of all emergency food parcels it distributed in 2024 went to families with children – more than 1.1 million in total. FareShare, which redistributes surplus food to around 8,000 charities, said demand increases significantly during school holidays.

Tesco’s Community Food Connection programme has already redistributed over 220 million meals to date. Customers can also donate the value of their Clubcard vouchers online to support the charities.

The pre-filled donation bags include essential items such as pasta, cereal, tinned goods and UHT milk – all aimed at making mealtimes easier for struggling households.

Food insecurity remains a growing issue across the British Isles, with rising living costs putting added pressure on families. Supermarkets and charities say initiatives like this provide vital extra support.

More information is available at tesco.com.