14 March 2023
Last week, FareShare announced more than 1,000 charities had backed its call on the government to reinstate funding to redistribute surplus food, which would deliver 42,500 tonnes of extra surplus food a year to help the 14 million families facing food insecurity in the cost of living crisis.
“The public agrees with us, the charity sector agrees with us, and politicians agree with us. It's time the government stepped up and turned these warm words into reality. The food and the funding are there. We hope the Prime Minister listens and helps us get good food to people during this crisis.”
Lindsay Boswell, FareShare CEO
We have had many positive responses across the government about our plans, and there is definite will. We have yet to meet a politician who does not support the idea that surplus food should be used to strengthen our communities before it becomes waste. Funding used to exist to help small farmers and growers to get their surplus food to charities. Yet the government axed this funding and has repeatedly said there are no plans to reinstate it, despite the obvious and urgent need for food. Before Christmas, we handed a letter to the PM signed by 57 MPs across the political spectrum, calling for this funding to be reinstated. We've had a lot of support from Conservative MPs; people think this is a good idea.
King Charles III also recently visited The Felix Project, London’s biggest food redistribution charity and part of the FareShare network, where he was told how demand for its service is currently outstripping resources.
However, the will is not enough. What is needed is action and action now. The charities that rely on FareShare's food provide vital community care, ultimately saving the government money.
Last week we announced that over 1,000 charities had backed our call to the government to reinstate funding to redistribute surplus food. These charities span all four UK nations and are on the frontline of the cost of living crisis. They see first-hand the detrimental impact of the rising cost of food, energy bills, fuel, rent, and childcare on people struggling to make ends meet. When there is so much edible, nutritious food available, it makes sense that the government support us in getting that food to the communities and people who need it most.
Tomorrow's budget presents an opportunity to tackle the staggering amount of food going to waste on our farms and factories while supporting the millions of people being forced into food insecurity in the UK. Diverting £25 million from anaerobic digestion subsidies, dormant assets, or the recently announced sovereign wealth grant could pay for the scheme.
The public agrees with us, the charity sector agrees with us, and politicians agree with us. It's time the government stepped up and turned these warm words into reality. The food and the funding are there. We hope the Prime Minister listens and helps us get good food to people during this crisis.
