A LEADING supermarket has launched its festive food donation scheme and is calling on charities and food banks across Chelmsford to register to receive a free donation.

Aldi is aiming to redistribute all surplus fresh food from its stores in Chelmsford to charities on Christmas Eve.

As part of the scheme, charities and food banks will be paired with stores and can collect products after the store closes at 6pm.

Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility, said: “We want to give something back to the communities that we serve at such an important time of year.

“Last year we were able to reach thousands of people across the UK, and some charities were able to feed families well into the New Year.” Contact Christmas@aldi.co.uk before November 18.