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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged Brummies to donate to foodbanks over Christmas.

He backed a "Winter of Compassion" campaign launched by Birmingham MP Liam Byrne (Lab Hodge Hill), who is asking people to donate food to charity the Trussell Trust.

Mr Corbyn also backed the Big Birmingham Sleepout, which took place at the end of November, when people slept in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral to raise money for St Basil's, a charity which provides homes for young people.

The charity's Solihull Sleepout takes place on Friday 5th April 2019.

Mr Corbyn said: "We need to do what we can to support any of our neighbours who are in need.

"So please support the sleepout and the Trussell Trust foodbank drive to get food to whose who desperately need it."

Mr Corbyn's message also criticised the Conservative government.

Figures released by the Trussell Trust shows December was the busiest month for foodbanks last year.

During December 2017, The Trussell Trust’s network provided 5,553 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis in the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry and the Black Country.

This was up from 5,166 in 2016.

And while 3,340 food parcels were for adults in 2017, the figures show 2,213 were for children.

So far, Liam Byrne's Winter of Compassion appeal has raised over a tonne of food for people struggling to feed their families this winter and raised almost £1,000 for St Basils.

Mr Byrne said: "Our children are bearing the brunt of this Government’s failing policy.

"That’s why we’re launching our Winter of Compassion campaign, to show how we can take care of each other, because quite frankly, the Government won’t."

BirminghamLive and Birmingham Mail have also campaigned to encourage people to donate to foodbanks. Our BrumFeeds foodbank campaign aims to collect 100 tonnes of food.

The rough sleeper count published by the Government in January 2018 showed that there 57 rough sleepers in Birmingham, up from 55 in 2016.