A SUPERMARKET chain is hoping to save leftovers from landfill after teaming up with a homeless charity.

Booths, which has branches in Kendal, Ulverston, Windermere, Kirkby Lonsdale, Milnthorpe and across the North West, has joined forces with Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service.

In a bid to save leftovers from landfill and support local charities, Booths has devised a scheme to deliver edible food waste to the local homeless charity which will be backed by food donations from shoppers in store.

The pilot scheme has been developed by Booths and LDHAS director Simon Truelove, is in place in a handful of stores, including Carnforth and Milnthorpe but will soon roll out across all branches.

Colin Porter, customer experience development manager at Booths, said: “Booths works hard to be a sustainable business with strong links to local communities. It’s important as a business we make sure the waste we donate is able to be used appropriately and locally to meet the demands of those in need.

“We’ve long wanted to work with local charities to implement a robust and workable scheme to deal with food waste in our stores.

“There are strict guidelines surrounding how supermarkets dispose of food waste and we have been working to find the best approach to get as much wholesome food into the mouths of those in need.”

The LDHAS works alongside other charities in the area, including the British Legion, and the local church groups to ensure the food is distributed to those in need.

About 40 people, ranging from the elderly in housing poverty, struggling young families and the homeless receive a hot meal and are given food parcels to take away from the Ark, in Lancaster.

Simon Truelove, from LDHAS, said: “We rely on community donations for food, and so working alongside Booths is tremendous. We’re really grateful for the donations and having a regular supply of quality fresh food is incredibly helpful.”