FareShare London gets funding boost from People’s Postcode Trust

Wednesday 2 March 2016

FareShare London has received almost £20,000 thanks to People’s Postcode Trust, the charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

The grant will help FareShare London increase its storage capacity by investing in a new large walk-in chiller that will store more quality fresh surplus food and meet increasing demand for its service. The charity also hopes to recruit and support more volunteers, who will help sort and deliver the higher amount of food secured.

FareShare London is expecting the new equipment to be installed this summer, in time for its Building Capacity, Alleviating Childhood Holiday Hunger Project that aims to tackle childhood hunger, particularly during the school holidays.

Over the last year, FareShare London has provided food to 11 schemes, feeding 795 children who would otherwise have gone hungry over the summer holidays. However, 592,000 London children are at risk of hunger during the holidays so demand is huge.

FareShare UK CEO, Lindsay Boswell said: “We are delighted to receive funding from People’s Postcode Trust. London has the highest child poverty rates in the country – almost 4 in 10 children grow up below the poverty line, and 1 in 8 pupils do not get enough to eat in the school holidays.

“FareShare London has a fantastic opportunity to partner with schemes that support vulnerable children during the school holidays by providing healthy and nutritious food. This summer, hundreds of children will receive delicious meals so they will not need to go hungry when they are not getting the free meal they would get at school during term-time.”

Clara Govier, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, added:  “We are so pleased that this grant will give more vulnerable children access to a good meal to eat instead of going hungry in the holidays. Our players should be proud that they are helping to support FareShare London at a time when demand for its services is on the rise.”