Every year around 400,000 tonnes of food goes to waste in Wales and, if just one per cent of that was saved, it could be used to provide more than nine million meals.
Today, Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government Jayne Bryant visited the Cardiff-based organisation aiming to do just that.
The Welsh Government has supported FareShare Cymru with more than £3.9m of funding since 2015.
In that time, FareShare Cymru has redistributed more than 6,600 tonnes of surplus edible food.
As well as reducing greenhouse gases, this has seen more than 15 million meals distributed to those in need across Wales via 411 community organisations and charities.
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca Davies said: “Building a fairer and greener Wales is at the heart of everything we do in this Welsh Labour Government.
“Our partnership with FareShare Cymru is a testament to our dedication to tackling food poverty and reducing food waste.
“Wales is a global leader in recycling, and today, I am proud to outline our ambitious plans to leverage this success. We are focused on growing the economy, creating sustainable jobs, addressing the climate and nature emergencies, and saving money for communities across Wales.”
The Cabinet Secretary also expressed her gratitude to FareShare Cymru for their outstanding efforts: “I am deeply grateful to FareShare Cymru for their remarkable work in combating food poverty, reducing food waste and supporting vulnerable members of our communities.
“Hearing the volunteers’ experiences and witnessing first-hand how FareShare Cymru empowers individuals to gain skills and qualifications for employment in the green economy was truly inspiring.
“Ending homelessness is a collective responsibility and by working together, we can realise our vision of a Wales where everyone enjoys a successful and prosperous life.”
CEO for FareShare Cymru, Sarah Germain, said: “At FareShare Cymru we are committed to turning an environmental problem into a social solution. Through working with suppliers in the food industry we are able to redistribute edible surplus food to charities and community groups who turn it into meals to support their local community. This reduces food waste, saves charities money and helps feed thousands of people every day.
“At a time when one in five adults face food insecurity, the work we do with food suppliers and the work of our charity members is vital.
“Alongside this, we provide volunteering and training opportunities and run our employability programme, FareBoost. We could not do what we do without the support of our amazing volunteers, staff, food suppliers and funders and we are thankful to Welsh Government for their support over the last 10 years.”
Huggard Centre CEO, Adam Rees, said: “Huggard provides emergency support and accommodation for those sleeping rough and are homeless. Providing access to good food is a critical part of this.
“FareShare Cymru is our key partner in making this happen. We cook on average 85 meals a day, every day of the year. Hot, nutritious and varied dishes which are prepared by clients on our catering training programme for their fellow clients.
“Breakfast is free and lunch is just £2. This means we can provide people living on the streets of Cardiff with the sustenance they need to start the recovery from homelessness in a safe and warm environment.”
