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Cinema holds Cans Film Festival in aid of food banks

Richard Parkes Cinema staff with some of the donated cansRichard Parkes
Blockbuster hit: Cinema staff collected about 1,500 tins for local food banks

A local cinema chain staged an event dubbed the "Cans Film Festival" in aid of nearby food banks.

Eschewing the Cote d'Azur style of its renowned French namesake, the event offered film fans free entry in return for donating two tins of food.

Cinema-goers in Cleethorpes, Beverley and Louth were treated to a showing of Disney's appropriately named hit Encanto in return for their generosity.

About 1,500 tins were collected for food banks in the area.

Hundreds of people turned up to support the venture at Parkway Cinema branches in Cleethorpes and Beverley and at the Louth Playhouse.

In Cleethorpes, staff were swamped with donations, and a second screen was opened to cater for demand.

The fundraising effort earlier this month was staged to coincide with the Cannes Film Festival, where Top Gun: Maverick was premiered.

Two members of cinema staff got into the spirit of the occasion by donning pilot costumes inspired by Tom Cruise's latest to deliver the canned goods.

Richard Parkes Staff dressed up as Top Gun pilots to deliver the donations to food banksRichard Parkes
Take my broth away: Staff dressed up as Top Gun pilots to deliver the donations to food banks

Parkway Cinemas director Richard Parkes said: "We do love a cheesy pun and so we couldn't resist the opportunity to hold our own cans festival.

"It's very sad that we have to support food banks but it's also lovely to see the generosity of people."

Grimsby's We Are One Foundation and the Louth Food Bank were among the recipients of the donated goods.

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