SUPERMARKET giant Asda – which has a store in Keighley – has signed-up to a partnership aimed at helping one million people out of poverty over the next three years.

The company will work with food redistribution charities FareShare and the Trussell Trust on the scheme, to which it has pledged at least £20 million.

Both charities' infrastructures will be developed to improve the transportation and storage of fresh goods to foodbanks.

And support services such as debt counselling and job advice will be provided to users.

Asda has also committed to ensuring all its shops donate surplus food by 2020.

It is estimated the partnership will enable the charities to provide an additional 24 million meals a year to those in need.

Andy Murray, for Asda, said: "Right now in the UK, 8.4 million people are struggling to afford to eat.

"One in ten people are missing meals to pay their bills.

"Yet, four million tonnes of perfectly decent food is wasted each year.

"We simply cannot – and will not – accept food being wasted whilst people in our communities go hungry.

"We've listened to our customers and want to take on their challenge to fight hunger and create change."

The initiative is welcomed by both charities.

Sam Stapley, for the Trussell Trust, said: "The scale and nature of this funding is unprecedented."