A “Stella” Contribution – How One Tin a Week Tells a Bigger Story

When Cathy, one of our dedicated helpline volunteers, met 89-year-old Stella Charlton in Tesco, she discovered a remarkable story of quiet generosity. Stella shared that she has donated a tin of spaghetti every single week since our food bank opened – that’s over 600 tins in 12 years.

“It’s just a little something,” she said. But as Tesco’s strapline reminds us, every little helps. And in Stella’s case, that little has helped a lot. 
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Stella's consistent donations might seem small individually, but collectively, they represent hundreds of meals on tables, and moments of relief where it’s needed most. Stella’s story is a great example of what makes our community truly stellar – people quietly showing up, week in, week out. 

The bigger picture

​Stella’s 600 tins have helped hundreds of people over the years, and her regular gift is symbolic of something much larger: the ripple effect of consistent community support. Every food item donated, every financial contribution made, every sponsored walk or bake sale, and every hour volunteered enables us to provide essential services to those in need. 

​Take Martin, for example. At 65, working part-time as a cleaner, he did everything he could to manage, but rising costs made it harder to make ends meet. Thanks to contributions like Stella's, and many others, we were able to utilise our Hardship Awards to give Martin the help and support he needed. 

It takes a community

Food donations, financial support, and time volunteered — it all adds up. And it’s thanks to this steady, practical support from our community that we’re able to do what we do. Whether it's a tin, a tenner, or your time, each contribution plays a part in making sure someone in our community has what they need to get through. 

We've shared more about the difference this support makes in our Year 11 Impact Report — a snapshot of how every tin, every pound, and every act of kindness adds up to something far greater than the sum of its parts. 
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So, next time you see a tin of spaghetti on a shelf, think of Stella – and know that something so simple can carry real weight.