‘Amazing’: Halloween charity trail collects three tonnes of food for residents in need

Trick or Eat founders Jenna and Basil Fansa with a truckload of donations. Photograph: courtesy Jenna Fansa

A Halloween collection for food banks in Hackney and Walthamstow amassed an impressive three tonnes of donations, organisers have revealed.

Trick or Eat, organised by Hackney-based Local Buyers Club, saw residents join a trail around their neighbourhoods and donate non-perishable food in collection boxes along the way.

Almost 100 businesses and households hosted boxes, including around 30 traders in Stoke Newington.

It was the fourth time the event has been held, bringing the total amount of donations to more than 11 tonnes.

Tanya Whitfield, head of services at Hackney Foodbank, was moved to tears by this year’s effort, describing it as “amazing” and saying the donations are just what was needed.

The organisation received more than two-and-a-half tonnes of food.

Trick or Eat founder Jenna Fansa said: “Organising a charity collection like this is always a leap of faith – we put everything into the event and hoped people will support. We needn’t have worried. We collected enough to fill a Luton van in Hackney and lots for the PL84U AL-SUFFA food bank in Walthamstow too.

“We are so very grateful to everyone who hosted a collection box and everyone who donated. Lots of people shopped especially for the event – buying food they knew was badly needed.”

Donations to Hackney Foodbank are down by 53 per cent compared to this time last year and referrals are up.

Around 40 per cent of food bank users in Hackney are employed.

To find out more, visit hackney.foodbank.org.uk.

For more information on the Halloween collection, head to trickoreat.co.uk.