High fives to celebrate food hub's birthday
A food share charity is urging Salopians to get active and help feed those in need.
Shrewsbury Food Hub will celebrate its fifth birthday in April, and is asking people to complete as many 5kms as they can throughout the month.
The campaign is called FoodHub5 and is aimed at raising awareness of food waste and funds to continue the good work for many more years.
Ali Thomas, co-founder of the Food Hub, said: “Back in 2016, we set up to try and reduce food waste while doing something useful in our community. In that first year, we rescued 14 tonnes of vegetables, fruit, random tins and bakery products.”
Fast forward five years, Shrewsbury Food Hub has grown ten-fold. 116 volunteers collect from 20 supermarkets as well as wholesalers, manufacturers and farmers and distribute to over 60 community partners. They have been donated a depot and a smart Food Hub van.
As well as the fruit, veg and bread, they now collect frozen and chilled meat, fish and dairy and have a network of community freezers. And this year they are on track to stop more than 140 tonnes of good food from going to waste – that’s enough for 330,000 meals. Getting this food into good use protects the environment, helps local people eat better and save money, and saves their partner groups 30 per cent of their food budget.
Trustee Kate Hudson, said: “We’re asking the public to join our FoodHub5 campaign to celebrate our fifth birthday and help raise vital funds. Whilst we’re powered by volunteers, we still need to cover the costs of co-ordination and food safety for our seven day-a-week operation."
FoodHub5 will run throughout April 2021 and invites everyone to walk, wheel, run swim or even skip as many 5kms as they can over the month.
To join in and donate visit virginmoneygiving.com/fund/shrewsburyFoodHub5
