Triple Christmas chart-topper and social media star LadBaby, aka Mark Hoyle, has launched this year’s Tesco Food Collection, urging shoppers in Powys to donate at their local store.

The LadBaby family’s charity singles have reached Christmas No.1 for three years running (2018, 2019 and 2020). They are only the third act in UK history – after The Beatles and Spice Girls – to have three consecutive number ones.

Mark is keen to use his platform to raise awareness of poverty and to support food banks. During the collection, which is underway in local Express stores and taking place in larger stores from Thursday, November 18 to Saturday, November 20, shoppers are being urged to donate long-life food. Their donations will help food banks in the Trussell Trust network provide emergency food parcels to people in crisis and help food redistribution charity FareShare provide food to thousands of frontline charities and community groups. Tesco is playing its part by topping up all customer donations by 20%.

Mark said: “Everyone deserves to have an amazing Christmas, but unfortunately, a lot of people will have real problems affording the essentials for their families this year. When we released our first charity single back in 2018 there was a huge need for food banks and that need is growing rapidly.

“No-one should have to go to bed hungry, but today far too many do. It’s devastating and we all need to pull together and do what we can to help.

“A donation to the Tesco Food Collection is a really easy way of helping food banks and local groups supporting people in Powys facing hardship this winter.”

Rob Field, Project Manager at the Welshpool & District Trussell Trust Foodbank, said: “Every year, we are amazed by the generosity of Tesco customers locally who donate to the annual Food Collection. For many people, the winter period can be extremely challenging with many families facing impossible decisions – like whether to switch on the heating or put food on the table – so once again we are urging shoppers to give generously and make a difference to people who need the support of food banks over the festive period.