Social Impact / Bristol Charity Advent Calendar 2021
Bristol Charity Advent Calendar 2021, Day 4: FareShare South West
Through fighting food hunger and food waste, one charity in Bristol is playing a vital role this winter in preventing vulnerable communities from going hungry.
By saving quality, in-date food from going to waste and redistributing it to communities around the South West, FareShare South West both eliminates the environmental problem of food waste and solves the social issue of food poverty.
The charity, based in St Jude’s, is an independent branch of the national FareShare UK network and was set up in 2007 against the backdrop of deepening food insecurity and increasing food waste in Bristol.
is needed now More than ever
Today, the charity is involved with over 200 different community groups, charities and schools in Bristol, who rely on FareShare for deliveries of quality surplus foods which they transform into nutritious meals for those in need.
Fareshare South West’s warehouse on Winterstoke Road – photo by Ellie Pipe
Partners range from homeless charities, rehabilitation centres and dry houses, refugee charities, women shelters and anti-slavery charities.
Last year alone, they delivered food for 6.1 million meals across the South West, and a huge portion of that was in Bristol.
Whilst the organisation’s weekly food deliveries remain the core of the charity’s activities, FareShare South West have recently launched an emergency winter campaign called ‘FoodStock 2021’, which aims to get food to one million meals to those in need over the Christmas period.
FoodStock 2021 will see food for over 40,000 people go through their warehouses to frontline schools, charities and community projects, as well as 5,000 food parcels created at their pop-up warehouse in Ashton Gate.
Describing the current needs of the charity, Phoebe Ruxton, Director of Fundraising and Communications, said: “We are estimating it will cost us £200,000 for us to deliver the entire service across the Christmas period.
“To keep the wheels turning on this operation, FareShare South West is looking for donations, volunteers and people to spread the word. While normally we look for volunteers who can give a regular shift, over Christmas we are also seeking short term volunteers to help us plug the winter gap.”
To support the Foodstock 2021 with donations and more, visit their website: https://faresharesouthwest.org.uk/support-us/
Main photo: FareShare South West
Read more: Emergency winter campaign launched amid concerns about food supply
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