GRANDSLAM tour ticket holders can support Colchester Foodbank by donating unopened food and drinks this weekend.

Simple Minds and the Pretenders will headline the tour this Sunday (August 26) at Castle Park, where crates of food can be dropped off when the gates open.

The simple initiative is down to Castle Ward councillor Simon Ward, which decided to act after seeing confiscated food being thrown away at the Steps concert.

After liaising with tour promoters, the Liz Hobbs Group, and Colchester Events Company, plus the foodbank, he managed to get three yeses for the idea.

He said: “I had a fantastic time at the Steps concert in June, and I’m thrilled to see our wonderful Castle Park being used to host such big name artists.

"But I was saddened to see perfectly good unopened packaged food and drink being put into bins to be thrown away. I wanted to see it go to a charity at the Simple Minds concert this weekend, and future concerts.

"As a result I'm delighted they have arranged that on Sunday so any unopened packaged food and drink within date will be set aside and donated to the foodbank, and I will be making a donation myself to start things off.”

For enquries, email Simon.Crow@colchester.gov.uk or go to facebook.com/FoodBankColchester.

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