A BUSINESS has helped top up supplies at a food bank for the new year.

Little Groves in Beaminster has donated 50p from every Christmas tree sold to buy much-needed shopping for those who need a helping hand.

Sister store Big Groves in Bridport do the same. It is the third year running the garden centres have run the initiative.

The much used food bank in Beaminster was supported well by the community in the lead up to Christmas so the Little Groves team paid a visit at the beginning of January to shops including Fruit n 2 Veg, Nick Tett the butchers and the Co-op where manager Peter Gravell and deputy manager Tamsin Wright, kindly topped up their purchases with contributions from the supermarket.

Nursery Manager Becky Groves said: “We like to feel that Little Groves is very much part of the Beaminster community, so we are delighted to support the local food bank again for the third year running. They had a lot of donations just before Christmas, so shelves needed replenishing in the New Year and we’re pleased to have helped.”

More than 2,000 food banks operate in Britain, providing goods and services worth £11bn.

For more information on the food bank, visit www.familyinformationdirectory.dorsetforyou.gov.uk