A REGIONAL retailer is encouraging its shoppers to do one simple thing this Christmas in order for thousands of pounds to be donated to local food banks - scan their membership cards.

Southern Co-op has pledged to donate 10p to its local community food bank partners when its members shop and scan their Southern Co-op membership card in its retail stores in December (a small number of exclusions apply).

It is hoped thousands of pounds will be raised and help to tackle food poverty which remains a critical issue faced by millions in the UK.

Holly Bramble, community lead at Southern Co-op, said: "Food banks provide vital support for our local communities so we really hope this campaign will make a difference to a lot of families.

"All the money raised will be split equally between more than 60 local community food banks we work with. Quite simply, the more members who shop and scan their Southern Co-op membership card, the more we can donate to our food bank partners."

Southern Co-op has more than 200 Co-operative Food stores across the south of England which can be found via the store finder at https://stores.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/search.html.

Through financial donations, goods donations, volunteering and drop off points in 97 retail stores and funeral branches, Southern Co-op colleagues currently support 60 local community food banks.

These include Acts of Kindness Community (Solent), Alton - Trussell Trust, Andover - Trussell Trust, Appleford School on behalf of Salisbury - Trussell Trust, Banwell - Trussell Trust, Basingstoke - Trussell Trust, Bath - Trussell Trust, Beacon Church, Bognor Regis - Trussell Trust, Bournemouth - Trussell Trust, Bridge Church, Burgess Hill Community Food Bank, Chertsey Just a Helping Hand, Chichester District - Trussell Trust, Croydon Animal Samaritans, Eastbourne - Trussell Trust, Exeter Food Bank, Exmouth Friends in Need, F.I.S.H (Food, Information, Support & Hope) , Fair Frome, Faithworks Wessex, Fareham and Gosport Basics Bank, Farnham - Trussell Trust, Gillingham - Trussell Trust, Hart - Trussell Trust, Haywards Heath - Trussell Trust, Homeless Care - Food for Thought, Horndean Baptist Church, Horsham District Foodbank, Isle of Wight - Trussell Trust, Julian Trust - Bristol, Keynsham Food Bank - Trussell Trust, Kings Church - Trussell Trust, Kingswood Foodbank, Kinson & West Howe Foodbank - Trussell Trust, Liphook and Bramshott Foodbank, Lyndhurst and Emery Down Community Action Group, Meon Valley Food Bank, Nailsea Support Group, Newbury Soup Kitchen, North Bristol - Trussell Trust, Okehampton Food Bank, People's Pantry at Repton Connect Community Centre, Petersfield Area Churches Together (PACT) , Ringwood - Trussell Trust, Romsey Foodbank, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church, Salvation Army Hove, Sussex - FairShare, Surrey Helping Hands, Taunton - Trussell Trust, The Hub in Bradford on Avon, Warminster & District Food Bank, Was AFC Portchester Mutual Support Group - now based at Portchester Community, Association 'Woodsy's pantry' Food bank and pantry, West Berkshire - Trussell Trust, Wimbledon - Trussell Trust, Winchester Basics Bank, Worthing Soup Kitchen, and YMCA Andover.

The Christmas Membership Campaign will run between 1 - 31 December with 10p donated from all Southern Co-op member transactions with the exception of transactions containing cigarettes, tobacco or infant baby formula. There is no minimum spend.

To find out more, visit www.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/membership/december-foodbank-donation/.