Why acting luminary Michael Sheen wants Atherstone to back Co-op campaign to 'put an end to child poverty this summer'

ESTIMATED AS MANY AS 3,000 CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN POVERTY IN OUR AREA

TOWN FOOD BANK EDIBLELINKS IS MAIN BENEFICIARY OF IN-STORE DONATIONS ACROSS NORTH WARWICKSHIRE

PHILANTHROPIC film star Michael Sheen has urged Atherstone to get behind a summer-long campaign to help prevent thousands of children across the district from going hungry.

The Hollywood actor is backing a project run by the town's number one retailer – specifically aimed at putting an end to child poverty.

It is estimated that as many as 3,000 children in the Nub News area are destitute in a county with a total of 74,918 youngsters living in deprivation.

The Welsh star, known for a range of film and TV performances in the Twilight Saga, The Queen, Good Omens, Frost versus Nixon, The Damned United more recently Prodigal Son on Fox and in April seen playing the role of Chris Tarrant in ITV's adaptation of Quiz, called on local people to donate items of food to the Central England Co-op's Summer Support for Kids.

In turn the main beneficiary of in-store donations is Atherstone-based number one foodbank EdibleLinks which covers North Warwickshire and is supported by leading online supermarket Ocado which has a distribution hub at Birch Coppice.

The Co-op, which has more than 260 stores across 16 counties, has been running the food bank campaign since the start of the month and it comes on the back of research, by FareShare Midlands, that shows that across the area it trades some 1.16 million children are currently living in poverty and face being impacted by food poverty.

The campaign sees customers drop off food items at their local store which are then collected by local food banks and turned into meals for children who would normally be enjoying free school meals.

Lifelong co-operator Mr Sheen said: "Please back this worthwhile campaign by Central England Co-op and help our co-operative community make a difference this summer and beyond."

The appeal runs until September. Items that can be donated include shopping basket staples from tea, sugar and cereals to other essentials such as toiletries and hygiene products. Also, food banks have requested drinks for children, as well as vital sun cream and after sun.

For the first time this year other items needed include small arts and crafts items such as crayons and paints, as well as school supplies such as pencil cases and stationery.

Society president Elaine Dean praised the actor for backing the campaign, adding: "He is a true co-operator who has never forgotten his working class roots – despite the accolades which have come his way after playing iconic figures like Brian Clough and Tony Blair."

Central England Co-op has also donated £100,000 to its food redistribution partner FareShare Midlands who will be providing food and resources to children over the summer months, plus they will also be campaigning to see a change in Government policy to provide better support for those in need.

The cash will pay for more than 365,000 meals to be created this summer for youngsters in need across its trading region.