In April of this year, our asset manager for Capital Business Park, Louise Kandel, worked with FareShare Cymru to offer space for three months, rent free, to allow them to continue to fight hunger by tackling food waste during the pandemic. As the current situation is so uncertain, we feel it’s important to show support for charities such as FareShare, who are having a positive impact on so many lives.
FareShare Cymru, based at Capital Business Park in Cardiff, work to fight hunger by tackling food waste. Taking good quality, edible, surplus produce, that would otherwise go to waste, from the food and drink industry, FareShare Cymru redistribute it to organisations that help feed people in need. This turns an environmental problem into a social solution. The organisations supported by FareShare Cymru cover a wide range of charities and community groups, including homeless hostels, refugee centres, lunch clubs for the elderly, women’s refuges and charities working with young people and children.
In 2019-20 FareShare Cymru saved over 645 tonnes of food from going to waste and supported 132 organisations in South Wales with enough food to provide over 1.3 million meals. FareShare Cymru are run by a small team of hard working and dedicated staff, the success of which is dependent on a wide range of volunteers, who provide key and essential duties to the organisation.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the service of FareShare Cymru has increased significantly. This includes:
- handling and redistributing a huge amount of food, ensuring that it wasn’t wasted when the hospitality sector was forced to close at the start of the lockdown;
- handling and redistributing the food provided by food retailers;
- responding to the changing needs of communities across South Wales for the provision of food to those in need and replacing historic sources that closed;
- taking on over 30 new charities and community groups;
- supplying additional food to meet the increased needs of existing members;
- redistributing over 83 tonnes of food, enough for over 200,000 meals to those in most need, including many of South Wales essential workers
Should you like to find out more about the work of FareShare Cymru, to make a donation or explore opportunities to support or volunteer, please see their website http://www.fareshare.cymru/en/
FareShare Cymru are partnering up with Tesco between 19th-21st November for a nationwide food collection. You can find out how you can donate or volunteer here.
