FARESHARE

There are 5.8 million people in the UK living in ‘deep poverty’, struggling to afford their next meal. Meanwhile, 3.9 million tonnes of food is wasted every year by the food and drink industry. We estimate at least 10% of this is fit for consumption - enough food for 800 million meals.

Our mission is to turn this huge environmental problem into an urgently needed social solution and make a real difference to the lives of people in need on our doorstep. We take surplus food which is in date and perfectly good quality - everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to meat and dairy - that would otherwise go to waste and redistribute this food to over 1,700 charities and community projects nationwide, who transform it into healthy and nutritious meals for people in need. These include breakfast clubs for children living in poverty, homeless shelters, women’s refuges, day centres for elderly people suffering from isolation, veteran’s aid groups and support groups for families struggling to put food on the table – these organizations provide not only food but also essential support to help their beneficiaries rebuild their lives.

By ensuring that good food is not wasted and instead reaches those who need it most, our work both benefits the planet (saving 25,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions) and provides a crucial lifeline for over 82,000 vulnerable men, women and children every single day.

An integral part of our work is also the provision of skills and employability training for our volunteers, many of whom are struggling with long term or are previous beneficiaries who may have experienced the harsh realities of food poverty or homelessness.