Why 17-year-old colleague Anthony from our Ashton store is helping at his local foodbank

After seeing all the hard work that goes on at his local food distribution centre and foodbank, 17-year-old Asda Ashton colleague Anthony Kelly is now signing up to volunteer.

Together with our store's community champion Colette Regan, he followed two trolleys of food donated by customers and colleagues through our Fight Hunger Create Change initiative to the Tameside distribution centre and St Matthew's Foodbank in Stalybridge.

Anthony, who's worked part-time in our food hall for over a year and also studies Public Service at Tameside College, said: "While walking around our store the foodbank trolley caught my eye so I had a chat with Colette about it. It really interested me and I don't like the thought of people going hungry.

"It is a very big problem and I still don't think many people are really aware of it. I asked Colette how I could go about volunteering so she asked me to go along with her."

Both he and Colette were given a tour of the centres and shown how they operate.

Anthony said: "It was just a great feeling to see what they were doing and I want to be part of it. It's great that we have places like that, but I hope there's a time when people don't need them."

"My friends are supportive of me. At first they said 'why are you doing it if you're not getting anything out of it' but then I explained that I got a lot out of it, like helping other people."

Colette said: "I'm really proud of Anthony for volunteering to help at the food bank. He really wants to gives something to society. He's a real role model for others."