A SELKIRK supermarket has agreed to provide a staple diet of fundraising and support for the town’s Foodbank over the next 12 months.

Sainsbury’s already provides a drop-off point for Selkirk Foodbank donations – as does the town’s Co-op.

But for the following year it will also donate cash from the sale of its carrier bags as well organise series of in-store and staff fundraising events.

Sarah Hawker, manager of Sainsbury’s in Selkirk, told us: “Our customers chose Selkirk Foodbank as the charity we will support for the year.

“We’ve had a collection point for the Foodbank in store for some time but we will now do a lot of fundraising activities to help them as well.

"Selkirk Foodbank is a very worthwhile cause and we are glad to be supporting the organisers."

Selkirk Foodbank, from their headquarters at the Connections community centre, provide up to 30 emergency parcels each month.

A core team of around half a dozen volunteers from the town’s churches take referrals from social workers, welfare agencies, headteachers and health care professionals.

Peter Birney from Selkirk Foodbank is delighted with the backing of Sainsbury’s.

He told us: “We are thrilled that Sainsbury’s customers have chosen the Foodbank for the following 12 months.

“We provide a valuable service for people who have nowhere left to turn.

“Selkirk, as a town, has been very supportive of the Foodbank ever since it was started and it’s heartening that this support is continuing through the kindness of Sainsbury’s.”

Welfare cuts, sanctions and homelessness across the country have led to a sustained demand for foodbank parcels.

Although Selkirk Foodbank is fairly low-scale compared to ones operating in much more deprived areas, volunteers believe the service is every bit as important.

Treasurer Myra Coltman said: “People can find themselves in difficult situations through no fault of their own and have nowhere else to go for food.

“We mostly supply parcels to people in and around Selkirk as just a one-off to help them through a difficult time.

“The people who receive food parcels are always so appreciative – it is a last resort for them.”

As well as the drop-off points in the town’s two supermarkets, churches and schools in and around Selkirk also regularly hold collections of food items.

And financial donations, which are made through occasional collections, are used to purchase perishable food items ahead of parcels being delivered.