CEO, Calcutt reacts to news of £15 million fund
Sarah Calcutt, City Harvest CEO, was interviewed on Sky News about the potential benefits that the new £15m government fund could have in our mission to rescue food, people and the planet.
As the food poverty crisis continues, City Harvest is glad the government has set up this new £15 million fund to support food charity’s efforts of rescuing surplus food to feed people in need. Applications are not yet open, and no one has yet been approved to receive funds, however, we welcome the positive news about this extra provision and will be applying to the fund in the hope that we can get more food to people who desperately need it.
Key discussion points:
- £15 million fund announced to support redistribution of thousands of tonnes of surplus from farms.
- Fund originally pledged by Rishi Sunak and was delayed by the General Election.
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- When it doesn’t fit retail specifications, farm surplus at risk of waste is a huge cost to UK producers and farmers already facing squeezed margins.
- 45% of the food City Harvest shares with its community partners is fresh produce.
- Common outcomes for farm surplus are anaerobic digestion or juicing: routes that prevent waste. Via food redistribution charities like City Harvest, this food can be redirected for human consumption. 20% of the UK population needs better access to good and healthy food.
- City Harvest delivers its surplus food to London community partners (food banks, soup kitchens, community centres, refuges) for free – allowing grassroots projects to prioritise their funding for additional services such as counselling or employment support.
- Demand on City Harvest for free food in London has doubled in the last 2 years. We now deliver enough food for 130,000 meals each week across 30 London boroughs.
Why has the demand for free food increased?
- Rise in cost-of-living: rent, utility bills, food prices, and interest rates are all going up.
- Almost 2 million households in the UK don’t have white goods: ovens and fridges.
- A rising proportion of the population is not able to stretch their salary to the end of the month. Food is often the first to be sacrificed as households turn to food banks and other free food distribution services.
- A growing % of London households are reportedly £40-50 short every week. Wages are not rising at the same rate as the cost-of-living – especially in London.
- This winter, many more people will have to choose between heating and eating as costs continue to rise.
Business Benefits of Food Redistribution
- There are huge business costs of dealing with food industry waste. Having a partner like City Harvest is valuable for a food business as it saves money. We collect surplus for free and distribute it to people who need it.
- ESG reporting: We can help a business report on the environmental and social impact of their donations. There is a change in annual reporting which makes it mandatory for businesses to report against ESG targets.
We are grateful for your support
Every £1 = 3 meals for Londoners facing food poverty.
