Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, ran food bank collection points at Metro stations across the network and at Nexus Travel Shops in North Shields, Gateshead, South Shields, Sunderland and Newcastle.
A total of 360kg of food and toiletries was donated, along with cash donations totalling £592. The food will feed 42 families for a week and the cash raised will provide another 51 essential food packs. It has all been shared between five local food banks, which provide essential support for people who are struggling to make ends meet.
Nexus public affairs manager Lynne Robinson said: “Metro is at the heart of the local communities that it serves, making our stations really good locations to collect for local food banks.
“Our thanks go to everyone who donated and supported this initiative. The food will help those most in need in these difficult times.
“I was really touched with the generosity from customers who donated from their own weekly shopping bags because they wanted to help people who needed the food more than they did.
“It was a pleasure to support the food banks, and the feedback we have received has been fantastic.”
The food banks that benefited are: The Bay Food Bank in North Shields, Gateshead Food Bank, the Hospitality and Hope Food Bank in South Tyneside, Sunderland Food Bank and the West End Food Bank in Newcastle.
