Aldi donates almost 12,000 meals to good causes in Edinburgh and the Lothians during the school holidays

Aldi donated almost 12,000 meals to good causes in Edinburgh and the Lothians during the recent Easter school holidays.

Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket pairs its UK stores with local charities, community groups, and food banks to collect unsold fresh and chilled food year-round.

Around 500,000 meals were donated throughout the UK during the recent school holidays, with 34 causes in Edinburgh and the Lothians benefitting from the initiative in total.

The food donations are part of Aldi’s successful partnership with Neighbourly, a community giving platform that links businesses to charitable organisations.  

Liz Fox, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “We know that the school holidays can be a particularly challenging time for families, and food banks regularly see heightened demand.

“By working with such amazing charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians through our partnership Neighbourly, we are able to give back by providing donations to those who need it most.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, said: “The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has increased the demand on food banks, particularly during the school holidays.

“Aldi’s contributions serve as a lifeline for many, providing essential support to enable these causes to continue their vital work within local communities.”

Since the partnership began in 2019, Aldi has donated more than 44 million meals to good causes across the UK.

Aldi also recently partnered with Neighbourly to launch a new “Spring” fund to provide additional help for families in need across the UK.

Eligible charities across the Neighbourly network, such as baby banks and children’s centres, will be able to access microgrants of £500 to help them provide immediate support to struggling families.