CHILDREN are being told to keep their eyes peeled for tins of baked beans in shop windows as a Cirencester charity promotes its free emergency foodbanks.


Twenty shops in Cirencester will have an additional item in their window displays throughout the school holidays which children can seek out as a fun game.


Each tin of beans on the Baked Bean Trail will have a letter on it which will spell a foodbank related word when put in order.


Cirencester Foodbank launched the trail to alert hungry families who do not know help is available.


The charity, based in Ashcroft Church, Ashcroft Road, provides three days of emergency food that is nutritionally balanced to families in need. In 2014/15 the charity supported 2,085 local families.


Mandy Fry, chairwoman of trustees for Cirencester Foodbank, said: “We have been operating in Cirencester for nearly three years now, we have had tremendous support across the community in terms of food donations and support, but we know that amongst families the awareness is not as great.”


“We particularly want to ensure that we are supporting families through the school holidays where there is no provision of free school meals.


 “We felt the hares might be feeling hungry, so thought we could provide them a snack to chase, while providing fun for families during the holidays.”


She also said that Cirencester Foodbank is very grateful for the support, time and donations provided via the local community.


The trail runs from now until Tuesday, September 1.

Trail maps can be downloaded from the Cirencester Foodbank website, or picked up from Corinium museum, Octavia’s bookshop, the St John’s Parish Church shop, Bingham Hall, the Baptist Church, the Churn project, the Opportunity Group, at doctors surgeries and at Cirencester hospital.


For regular updates on the trail visit Facebook page Ciren Foodbank or Twitter account @cirenfoodbank. For more information please see www.cirencester.foodbank.org.uk.