Admin
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.