As families open their Advent calendars, a local co-operative is asking whether you could give as well as receive this year.

Southern Co-op, which supports nearly 50 food banks at its stores across the south of England, is hosting a reverse Christmas Advent calendar starting on 1 December.

Up to 24 December, customers will be asked to consider donating a specific item of food or drink which will get taken to the local food bank.

As the demand for food banks has increased considerably during the pandemic, the donated goods will all help someone in need this winter.

Holly Bramble, Community and Campaign Co-ordinator at Southern Co-op, said: “We want to help as many families as possible so have launched this fun and affordable way for customers, colleagues and members to get involved.

“A few weeks ago we launched a new funding pot, Feed a Family Fund, for local food banks to get small grants to help them cover the costs of essentials such as replacement equipment.

“We know not everyone can afford to donate money so this is another way people can help local families and individuals who have fallen on hard times.

“We trialled the reverse Advent calendar at our head office last year and lots of colleagues got involved so hopefully this will build on the great community spirit we have seen throughout 2020.”

Each day will have a different suggested item to donate and include laundry detergent, sauces, pasta, rice, toiletries, biscuits, nuts, tinned fish and meat, jam, breakfast cereal, tea, coffee, tinned desserts, long life juice, instant mashed potatoes, tinned fruit and vegetables, squash and long life milk.

Southern Co-op currently has 78 stores under The Co-operative Food with food bank collection points. These are:

• Berkshire: Newbury in Pound Street and in Brummell Road.
• Devon: Bow in Burston Cross Road, and Exmouth in Brixington Parade.
• Dorset: Blandford in Salisbury Road, Bournemouth in Belle Vue Road, Castle Lane and Madeira Road, Sturminster in Station Road, Verwood in Ringwood Road, and Wimborne in Wimborne Road.
• East Sussex: Brighton in Bramber House at the University of Sussex, Eastbourne in Seaside and Lindfield Road, and Hove in Portland Road.
• Hampshire: Alderholt in Ringwood Road, Alresford in West Street, Andover in East Anton Farm Road, Clanfield in White Dirt Lane, Emsworth in High Street, Fareham in Gudge Heath Lane, Four Marks in Winchester Road, Hayling Island in Elm Grove, Holbury in Long Lane, Lee on Solent in High Street and Twyford Drive, Liphook in Headley Road, Lyndhurst in High Street, Moggs Mead in The Crundles, Odiham in High Street, Overton in Winchester Street, Portchester in White Hart Lane, Portsmouth in Copnor Road, Eastney Road, Elm Grove, Fawcett Road, Great Southsea Street, Highland Road and Winter Road, Romsey in Abbotswood Common Road, Rooksdown in Limes Park, Southbourne in Main Road, Westbourne in The Square, and Wickham in The Square.
• Isle of Wight: Cowes in Mill Hill Road, Freshwater in Afton Road, Ryde in West Street, and Shanklin in Regent Street.
• London: Wimbledon in Ridgway.
• Somerset and Bristol: Bath in Widcombe Hill, Bedminster in North Street, Bristol in Two Mile Hill Road and Long Down Avenue, Cotford St Luke in Graham Way, Frome in Nunney Road, Nailsea in Hannah More Road, Norton Fitzwarren in Morse Road, and Taunton in Wellington New Road.
• Surrey: Rowledge in The Square, and Staines in Laleham Road.
• West Sussex: Angmering in The Square, Bognor Regis in Hawthorn Road and Rose Green Road, Broadbridge Heath in Wickhurst Square, Burgess Hill in Junction Road and London Road, Chichester in Bognor Road, Lavant Road, Oliver Whitby Road, Spitalfield Lane and Stockbridge Road, East Wittering in Cakeham Road, Horsham in Guildford Road, Selsey in High Street, and Yapton in Main Road.
• Wiltshire: Bradford On Avon in Winsley Road, Mere in The Square, and Shrewton in High Street.

Alternatively, donations to the Feed a Family Fund can be made at the till in a Southern Co-op retail store or via www.neighbourly.com/FeedAFamilyFund.

Existing product collection points are donated to Alton Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Andover Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Appleford School on behalf of Salisbury Foodbank supported by the Trussell Trust; Basingstoke Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Bath Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Bognor Regis Foodbank at King’s Church supported by The Trussell Trust; Bournemouth Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Bradford on Avon’s The Hub; Brighton based FareShare Sussex; Burgess Hill Community Food Bank; Chichester District Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Eastbourne Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Emsworth’s Beacon Church; Exmouth Friends in Need; Fair Frome Foodbank; Faithworks Wessex; Fareham and Gosport Basics Bank; Farnham Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Gillingham Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Hart Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Hayling Island’s Bridge Church; Horndean Baptist Church; Horsham District Foodbank with Horsham Matters; Hove’s Salvation Army; Isle of Wight Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Just a Helping Hand in Runnymede, Elmbridge and Spelthorne; Lee on Solent FISH (Food, Information, Support & Hope); Liphook and Bramshott Foodbank; Lyndhurst and Emery Down Community Action Group; Meon Valley Food Bank; Nailsea Suport Group; Newbury Soup Kitchen; North Bristol Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Okehampton Food Bank; Petersfield Area Churches Together (PACT); Portchester Methodist Church food pantry; Portsmouth Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Ringwood Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Southampton’s NHS Food Bank; Taunton Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; The Kingswood (East Bristol) Foodbank; West Berkshire Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Wimbledon Foodbank supported by The Trussell Trust; Winchester Basics Bank; and Worthing Soup Kitchen.