FareShare is a registered charity that redistributes surplus food created by the food industry to charitable groups and organisations which provide meals to people in, or at risk of being in food poverty. The food they rescue is in date and good to eat, but has become surplus for simple reasons such as over-production, labelling errors or short shelf-life.
With funding of £1,500 from the Sir Timothy Brooks fund, FareShare Leicester was able to provide 17,500 breakfasts for around 90 children in Leicester schools for a full academic year.
Children and young people are particularly vulnerable to hunger as it can have detrimental effects on behaviour, reducing educational attainment, and compromising development. Those that attend breakfast clubs have been proven to have better concentration throughout the day, improving their learning which can also improve their academic performance and life chances. In addition, they have better attendance, attainment and behaviour at school and develop an understanding about the importance of healthy eating which can have better health outcomes in later life.
By supplying good quality nutritional food to the schools that are members of the scheme, FareShare were able to save them thousands of pounds per year from their food budget, enabling them to channel their overstretched funds into vital services. The membership fee of £500 per annum is far less than the cost of purchasing food direct from suppliers.
The groups and charitable organisations FareShare works with operate in areas of high deprivation. They support people suffering from a wide range of circumstances including isolation and loneliness, drug and alcohol addiction and rehabilitation, homelessness, poverty, domestic violence and people with mental health issues. Their members include school breakfast clubs, food banks, drop-in centres for the elderly and homeless projects.
For information on how to set up your own charitable giving fund, please contact Katy Green at Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation on 0116 262 4804.
