ALDI stores in Wiltshire will be donating food to local homeless charities and community groups in the hope of keeping bellies full this Christmas.

Stores across the county have teamed up with Neighbourly, an organisation which links businesses to charities so they can donating surplus food up to five days a week, all year round.

Christmas provides an opportunity for even more charities to benefit from the initiative, and are therefore calling on all charities and community groups in Wiltshire to get in touch for a Christmas Eve donation.

As part of the Christmas initiative, charities and community groups will be paired with local Aldi stores and can collect fresh food products that are near the end of their shelf life such as fruit, vegetables, fresh meat, fish and bread after the store closes at 6pm on Christmas Eve.

Last Christmas, Aldi donated just under half a million meals to charities across the country, and is hoping to increase this for Christmas 2019, spreading Christmas cheer to even more families.

Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi said: “Our Christmas food donation scheme is something we’re really passionate about.

“Last year we were able to reach thousands of people and some charities were even able to prepare fresh meals that fed families well into the New Year.

“This is our third year of Christmas food donations and we’re hoping this year will be just as successful, and we look forward to working with local charities and food banks from Wiltshire in the future.”

Charities interested in working with Aldi this Christmas should contact Neighbourly at aldichristmas@Neighbourly.com before Monday November 11

All groups that apply must have a level 2 hygiene certificate gained in the last two years, must be a registered charity, CIC or community group and be able to collect, transport and store chilled food products.

Aldi is Britain’s fifth largest supermarket with over 840 stores and almost 33,000 employees.

The company has more than doubled its market share since 2010. In the 12 weeks to September 8, Aldi grew sales by 6.3 per cent and achieved an 8.1 per cent share of the UK grocery market .

Aldi is investing £1bn in stores and distribution centres across the UK in 2019 and 2020. By 2025, it plans to double its store numbers inside the M25 - from 45 to 100 - and operate more than 1,200 stores.