Each year, the UK generates 1.9 million tonnes of avoidable food waste. Meanwhile, four-million children live in households that can’t afford enough healthy food. Despite these worrying statistics, the pandemic has only increased the number of people in need.
With a vision to support the growing number of vulnerable individuals, the partnership between The Felix Project and Food for London Now has enabled the organisations to:
- Quadruple the amount of food that they rescue.
- Deliver food directly to emergency food hubs.
- Form the London Food Alliance with two other food redistribution charities to coordinate services.
- Collaborate with restaurants and charities to prepare and deliver meals to the homeless, those who are isolating, and NHS staff.
- Enforce new health and safety policies to keep volunteers safe.
The collaborative project is run entirely by volunteers, who delivered 565 tonnes of food – 1.35 million meals – within the first month of lockdown alone.
Donations
The Felix Project and Food For London Now have received a wealth of support from contributors amid the pandemic, all of whom have helped families and individuals in need. Amongst these donations, the Garfield Weston Foundation has contributed a hugely generous £500,000, which has been split equally between The Felix Project and FareShare, a fellow food surplus distributor.
“Alongside significant grants to the National Emergency Trust, among others, our trustees are keen to ensure that those most vulnerable and affected by this crisis receive the immediate support they need,” says Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation. “We are delighted to support this partnership between two effective charities with which we have had long-standing relationships.”
Meanwhile, the Oso Foundation is running an appeal in association with The Independent, which is now approaching £2 million.
“Doing the weekly grocery shop may have its challenges for most of us, but at least we can afford to put food on the table,” says Oso Foundation trustee Karen Jankel. “The ethos behind The Felix Project appeals to us as we hate the idea of waste, and so by giving them our donation, we feel as though we’re making a small difference twice over.”
Despite the project’s life-changing achievements, need is only growing. YouGov has concluded that eight million Brits are now facing food insecurity – and three million have already experienced hunger.
The Evening Standard and The Independent have launched an appeal to raise further funds for The Felix Project so that more struggling households, charities, and schools can receive the support that they need. The appeal calls on corporate businesses, charitable foundations, and individuals who can help to donate – a contribution of just £30 will cover 165 meals for people who wouldn’t otherwise receive one.
About The Felix Project
The Felix Project collects fresh food that cannot be sold and delivers meal packages to charities, schools, and struggling households. During the Lockdown The Felix Project as part of the London Alliance has co-ordinated surplus food supplies across London boroughs, along with City Harvest 7, and FareShare 12. The boroughs manage hubs that receive food supplies – such as fresh fruit and veg, salads, baked goods, meat, and fish – from over 170 suppliers, including supermarkets, farms, wholesalers, restaurants, and delis. Volunteers then divide the supplies into food parcels and deliver these to vulnerable groups.
Each borough communicates with the government, as well as local food banks, charities, and community centres to determine which groups are in most need. Recipients include children who usually rely on free school meals but don’t have access to these under lockdown, refugees, domestic abuse survivors, and those who are self-isolating, unable to afford food, unemployed, homeless, or sick.