THE Gate Charity teamed up with Asda's national food drive in their Alloa store to collect food donations.

The food drive ran from May 17 to 19, with items donated including tinned goods, noodles and pastas, cleaning supplies, biscuits, and crisps.

Volunteers from The Gate Charity were in the store over the weekend, handing out flyers and showing what items people could donate.

The Gate Charity collected all of the donations “to help those in food poverty in [Clackmannanshire]”.

The food drive was led by Jay-Anne McLaughlin, food bank development coordinator for The Gate, who liaised with Asda Alloa’s Keira Lang on the day.

 “It’s been fantastic,” said Keira Lang, Community Champion at Asda Alloa. “The customers and colleagues have been so generous, it’s good to know that everybody pitches in when needed.”

By the end of the first day, The Gate already had several totes and a full trolley worth of donations.

A final count is still to be released. Last month, The Gate Larder held a food drive at Asda which raised 510kg worth of food and it looks like this month’s drive will be just as successful.

The food drive received a fantastic turnout and was shown support by local politicians who highlighted the good work the charity does.

Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife and Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, stopped by and pledged their support for the drive.

Mr Brown said: “The Gate is a fantastic charity doing wonderful work to help those in need in Clackmannanshire.

“I was pleased to be able to join them at Asda last week at the food drive which was held in partnership with the Trussell Trust.

“I thank everyone locally who responded with such generosity to support the Gate and thanks to Asda who provide a top up cash donation of 20 per cent of the value of items donated to the Trussell Trust.

“In the face of the cost-of-living crisis, places like The Gate provide a vital support service to those struggling but it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that the stigma of poverty is a thing of the past, and the responsibility of governments to make sure that poverty itself becomes history, too.”