Shrewsbury Food Hub has received a £60,000 grant from Shrewsbury Town Council, to be distributed over three years. The funding will help the charity meet rising costs as it continues to collect surplus food and distribute it across the community.
The charity collects surplus food from supermarkets, manufacturers and farms, and shares it with 90 community groups and 13 weekly food shares across the area.
Tackling rising costs
Cherry Teearu, the charity's fundraiser, said the grant would go a long way in helping to cover extra costs. She added: "It is a lot of money. It sounds fantastic and we are so so grateful. With the cost of living crisis all of our costs are going up."
The organisation spends nearly £500,000 every year, with significant expenses for running vans, maintaining its depot and covering staff costs.
Food rescue figures
Shrewsbury Food Hub started in 2016 after a local homeless charity contacted its co-founders because a supermarket had offered them surplus food but they lacked the volunteers to collect it.
Over the last year alone, the charity rescued 272 tonnes of food from being thrown away — enough for over 649,000 meals.
Seven-day operation
John Hughes, community engagement officer and head of logistics at the charity, manages the deliveries. He said: "It operates seven days a week, all year round, bar Christmas Day. We start early doors and then work right the way through. Then at the end of the day we are preparing for the next day ahead."
Hughes added: "We have a lot of overheads, all of that costs money just to keep the wheels turning before we do anything, so this grant is hugely important to us and just gives us sort of hope and sustainability going forward."
Peter Hampton, a volunteer who attends the Food Hub, said he came both to help the environment and reduce his own household costs. He brought his grandchildren along, and they later told their junior school teacher about food waste — leading to a lesson on the topic.