CHARITIES in Dorset teamed up with Aldi to help the supermarket chain donate around 9,100 meals to people in need this Christmas Eve.

The donation is Aldi’s largest to date and helped more than nine charitable causes in Dorset during a time when people are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, Luke Peech said: "We’re proud to support good causes in Dorset this festive period, helping them to provide fresh and filling meals over the Christmas period."

For the first time, the initiative will also extend to New Year’s Eve, when Aldi expects to donate a further 200,000 meals to charitable causes across the country.

Luke added: "The feedback has been overwhelming and we’re really pleased to have extended the initiative, so we can do what we can for those in need within the community in what was an incredibly tough year for so many."

The supermarket paired up its stores with local charities, community groups and food banks to make the most of unsold fresh and chilled food after stores closed on December 24 2020.

Around 210 tonnes of food were donated throughout the UK, with more than 500,000 meals donated and over 750 UK causes benefitting from the initiative in total.