Our First Year Report

In April 2016, The Shrewsbury Food Hub began collecting surplus food from a variety of supermarkets in the town in order to redistribute it to those who need it.

Our goal is to reduce food waste, reduce food poverty and to support our community.

This free food improves diets and saves the 32 groups we are currently working with more than 30% of their food budget.

Our first year was a huge learning curve and tremendously successful, and we are confident that we are developing a robust and sustainable model to continue supporting charities and projects with donations of surplus food from local companies, cutting down on food waste and helping to conserve our planet's natural resources.

Key achievements April 2016 – March 2017

• 8 Shrewsbury stores donating their surplus food: Marks & Spencer (2 stores), Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Bookers, and Tesco (3 stores);

• 14 tonnes, or 33,200 meals worth of surplus food redistributed;

• 2,056 people in 32 community groups reached with our service;

• Groups reporting average 32% reduction in their food budget thanks to SFH;

• 30 volunteer coordinators and drivers picking up, sorting and redistributing the donated food, and another 16 volunteers helping behind the scenes;

• Our groups were extremely likely to recommend SFH to another group.

Plans for April 2017 – March 2018

During our second year of operation our key target is to establish a central depot where all surplus food can be sorted and redistributed to ensure equal access for all groups and a good variety and regular level of provision.

We have been leased an industrial unit at Centurion Park in Shrewsbury, at no cost, by local firm Morris & Co Ltd, but we need to adapt the space to meet environmental health standards.

Key outputs:

• 28 tonnes, or 66,600 meals of surplus food redistributed;

• Work with 12 Shrewsbury stores and food producers;

• Reach 40 community groups with our services, approximately 3000 people

• Retain existing pool of volunteers and recruit a further 15 to support our expanded service.

HUB MEMBERS APRIL 2017 - Surplus Food Reaches 2058 People every week

1 Shrewsbury Food Bank Plus

2 Shrewsbury Ark

3 Severn Hospice

4 A4U

5 Grange Primary School

6 Greenacres Primary School

7 Harlescott Junior School

8 Sundorne Infant School

9 Mount Pleasant Primary school

10 Crowmoor Primary School

11 Wilfred Owen Primary School

12 Longden Primary School

13 Coleham Primary School

14 Meadow Farm Pre School

15 Holy Trinity Belle Vue Play Group

16 Christchurch, Bayston Hill

17 Shrewsbury Youth Association

18 Shrewsbury Town Council Youth Service

19 Shropshire Council Youth Service

20 Hope Church

21 Age UK Armdale Day Centre

22 Age UK Porchfield Day Centre

23 Age UK Reabrook Day Centre

24 Age UK Gains Park Day Centre

25 Shropshire Mind

26 Riversway Elim Church

27 Bacon Buddies

28 York House

29 Belle Vue Methodists

30 Meole Primary

31 Shrewsbury Opportunity Group

32 Take a Chance and Dance

Youth Clubs supported:

Grange Youth Club, Disability group Grange, Smile Group Grange, Déjà vu Dance Club Kynaston Road, Kynaston Road Youth Club, Pink Spirit Monkmoor, Smile plus Monkmoor, Youth Overload Monkmoor, 1st Shrewsbury Scouts, Ellesmere Scouts, 22nd Shrewsbury Brownies.

#News