Young people in Helensburgh gathered in more than 500 items for the town’s food bank during a collection day on Friday.

The group are all part of the GIVE summer volunteering programme being run by the Argyll and Bute TSI and the council’s youth services team.

They set up a collection point at the TSI office in Colquhoun Square and walked around the town asking shoppers to consider buying some high-priority items such as sugar, long-life milk, instant rice, pasta and noodles and tinned fruit during their trips to the supermarket.

All the items donated have given a much-needed boost to the Helensburgh and Lomond Food Bank, where stock is lower than normal because of the summer holiday period.

The youth group’s programme of summer activities also included a clean-up in Hermitage Park, dementia-friendly training and community photography.

In return for their efforts the youngsters will be rewarded with day trips to venues such as Edinburgh Zoo and the Ryze trampoline park in Glasgow.

They will also gain points which will count towards their Saltire Awards, the country’s national youth volunteering scheme.

Gillian Simpson, from the Argyll and Bute TSI, said: “To take in more than 500 items was fantastic. There’s an urgent need for food bank donations in the summer holiday period, so we decided to hold a collection day to raise awareness and show the good things our young people can do in the community.

“The GIVE programme is designed to give young people volunteering opportunities, but also to build life skills, give them confidence and establish links with the organisations that are part of the TSI.

“Awarding Saltire points helps with their CVs and gives them a fun, positive life experience. The programme has been successful – we thought we might get 25 or so to take part, but we have more than 50.”

One member of the group, Imogen McLeod, an S5 pupil at Hermitage Academy and a member of the Helensburgh and Lomond Youth Forum, said: “I knew the food bank was there, but I’ve learned a lot more about it thanks to our collection day.”

Morevain Martin, chairman of the volunteer committee which runs the Helensburgh and Lomond Food Bank, said: “We were delighted with the work that the young people did on Friday, and we’re so pleased the awareness of the food bank is extending to the younger members of our community.

“These are our volunteers of the future, and if they can become more socially active and see the advantages of volunteering, the community benefits, as do the young people themselves.”

The food bank,in November 2014, is supported by a volunteer base of about 36 people.

Plans were announced last winter to open a satellite facility in Rosneath.