Food charity FareShare Cymru has doubled the amount of food delivered to frontline charities supporting vulnerable people since lockdown measures began – praising the ‘extraordinary’ efforts of its supporters and volunteers during the crisis.
Over the course of the last financial year, the Cardiff-based charity redistributed over 570 tonnes of in-date surplus food from the food industry to 136 charities, including food banks and community centres. The food they redistribute includes fresh meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, ready meals, milk and cheese.
However, in the weeks following the lockdown, demand for its service has soared and the charity has distributed almost 178 tonnes of food. Alongside this, FareShare Cymru has also signed up 53 new charitable organisations which are supporting vulnerable through the crisis, which are all receiving weekly food orders. To help meet soaring demand the charity has also secured additional warehouse space to safely store and distribute food from during the crisis.
Sarah Germain, Project Manager at FareShare Cymru, said: “Because of the lockdown many more families and individuals are finding themselves in really tough circumstances, and demand for our food has skyrocketed. We’re doing everything we can to continue to get food onto people’s plates, whether that’s delivering fresh food to homeless hostels and domestic violence refuges, or supplying community organisations with the packets and tins they need to get vital food supplies onto the doorsteps of families who are self isolating.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our team of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to get this food out, and to everyone who has made a donation. These are tough times for everyone and it’s so heartening to see our community pulling together to get food out to people who need it during this crisis.”
Cadogs Corner, based in Cadoxton in Barry, is a community café which uses FareShare food for the café and to provide cooking workshops and food parcels for vulnerable families – but since the lockdown the charity has evolved its operation to deliver food parcels to families’ doors instead.
Natasha Cockram, who runs Cadogs Corner, said: “Before the pandemic, we usually provided between 30 and 40 food parcels for families each week. Now, with the lockdown putting many families under increased pressure, we’re providing as many as 80 a week. FareShare is a really valuable food supply for the families we support, especially as we’re able to offer fresher ingredients.”
Amianne,a mum of two who lives in Barry, is a keyworker alongside her husband Chris. She said: “My husband is part of the army reserves so was deployed to deliver PPE in London. When the lockdown was announced I struggled to access food as I couldn’t go to the shops and leave my son and daughter, who has additional needs, at home. My family and friends were all working too.
“So I reached out to Cadogs Corner who have been providing food parcels through the lockdown. I never thought I’d be in the position where I needed help but I’m really glad I reached out as I don’t know what we would have done otherwise.”
To find out more and donate to FareShare Cymru, visit: https://www.fareshare.cymru/en/.
