On Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week, more than 120 volunteers helped us with the Tesco Food Collection at 9 supermarkets across Greater Manchester.
There was a fantastic turnout, our best year to date, with helpers of all ages from school-aged children up to retired people too. Our volunteers worked 3-hour-long shifts speaking to shoppers about our food collection and receiving the donations of food and toiletries.
Everyone who gave up their time to help was amazing, and their support ensures that we can continue to distribute food to those in need through our various programs, including our Get Food initiative. Some of our volunteers are veterans of the Tesco Food Collection campaign, returning for the third year running! We were even visited by 4 MPs who came along and joined in with our efforts.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all the Food Heroes who helped us with this great event – especially everyone who donated food and toiletries towards the collection and the fantastic Tesco staff who supported us throughout. A vast amount was collected and will be redistributed to our 240+ community food members in the weeks ahead. The volunteers who participated in the Tesco Food Collection truly exemplified the spirit of Tesco Food Heroes, helping us gather much-needed food donations for local communities.
At FareShare Greater Manchester, we always strive to make sure that surplus food doesn’t go to waste. Our mission is to redistribute surplus food to those who need it most, including local schools.
When we receive large quantities of surplus food with a short shelf life, we quickly spring into action to prevent it from going to waste, finding places where it can benefit local communities.
For example, in November, we received over 2,000 McDonald’s Happy Meal milk bottles that were set to expire soon. With a use-by date of 22nd November, we had to act fast. We reached out to our community food members, and Westmorland Primary School responded to our call for help. Headteacher Martin Henderson was able to accept the milk on short notice and distribute it to the school’s pupils, ensuring it didn’t go to waste.
This is just one instance of how FareShare manages surplus food, helping to reduce food waste while supporting local children. If you work in the food industry and have surplus food that could benefit schools or other community organisations, we encourage you to get in touch with us.
If you’re interested in working with FareShare to help get surplus food to schools, or if you’d like to learn more about our efforts to combat food waste, please reach out to us at ruth@emergemanchester.co.uk
You may have recently read about our fabulous Volunteer Awards which took place at our Manchester Warehouse last month. One of the awards presented during the event was the FareShare UK Perfect Pair. This honour was awarded to husband-and-wife team Ged and Julie Donnelly.
Ged and Julie began volunteering at FareShare during the Covid pandemic. They initially joined the Southampton team but later relocated to the North West. After the move, they started volunteering with FareShare Greater Manchester. Working as a team, Ged serves as a volunteer delivery van driver, while Julie assists him as his driver’s assistant.
Three weeks ago, on Budget Day, a special celebration took place at the Houses of Parliament. The event marked the 30th birthday of FareShare UK. Ged and Julie were among five volunteers chosen to represent FareShare’s network. Two representatives came from Brighton, and one travelled from Liverpool. The event was held at the Terrace Pavillion at the side of the River Thames and was hosted by Rt Hon Lord Newby OBE.
On being chosen for this honour, Ged and Julie said “It was really good to go and meet other FareShare volunteers and hear all the speeches.” They went on to say “volunteering like this is good for us, it gives us structure to our week now we are retired and it’s great to make a difference – we enjoy it.”
In addition to the reception held to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of FareShare UK, an early day motion was tabled in Parliament:
“That this House congratulates FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity, on its 30th anniversary; applauds FareShare for redistributing the equivalent of 135 million meals last year, equating to four meals per second, to over 8,000 frontline charities and community groups in almost every constituency across the UK; recognises the charity’s significant social return on investment, delivering £13 in savings for every £1 spent through benefits to individuals and the state; and urges the Government to work with the charitable food redistribution sector to implement effective measures that further reduce food waste, increase surplus food redistribution to those in need, and strengthen communities throughout the United Kingdom, as the need for such collaboration is more pressing than ever.”
Early Day Motion 277
This trip down to the Houses of Parliament by our very own ‘Perfect Pair’ was a fitting end to our volunteer celebrations for this year. It just goes to show that you never know where volunteering could take you!
If you would like to find out more about volunteering opportunities at FareShare Greater Manchester, please get in touch.
You can call: 0161 223 8200 and choose Option 6 or send us an email to volunteering@faresharegm.org.uk
Last month, we were delighted to host our annual Volunteer Awards recognition at FareShare Greater Manchester’s Maynard House Warehouse. These awards are part of FareShare UK’s Volunteer Awards Recognition programme, celebrating the incredible contributions of volunteers.
In 2023, our incredible team donated over 21,000 hours to help redistribute surplus food to people in need. Their dedication and commitment, makes our work possible.
The week featured special lunches, presentations, and awards recognising long service and outstanding contributions..
Each year, FareShare UK hosts the ‘Volunteer’s Celebration,’ an event which recognises and appreciates the contributions that volunteers make to the operation of FareShare across the UK. In August, our volunteers were asked to nominate their fellow volunteers for the FareShare UK Awards. It was a very competitive year. FareShare UK received 162 nominations with three winners from FareShare Greater Manchester.
Ged & Julie Donnelly won the FareShare ‘Perfect Pair’ Award. Ged is a volunteer delivery driver and Julie assists him. Tom Shephard and Chrissie Clarke received Highly Commended awards for their contribution to FareShare Greater Manchester’s operation.
In our own local celebrations there were many other awards handed out including specially printed Hi-Vis vests for our volunteers who celebrated either 4 years, 5 years or 10 years of long service. Also awarded were Babu Raj for the Rain, Hail or Shine Award, Andy Stobbie for the Ray of Sunshine Award, Sacha Girling for the Rising Star Volunteer Award, Dorothy for the Customer Care Award, John Barrett for the Best Buddy Award & Caroline Leedham for the All Rounder Volunteer Award.
We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated group of volunteers. Thank you for all that you do!
If you would like to find out more about volunteering with FareShare Greater Manchester, please get in touch!
Call 0161 223 8200 Option 6 or email volunteering@faresharegm.org.uk.
We’re thrilled to share our 2023-24 Impact Report. It showcases what we have achieved in fighting food poverty and stopping food waste. This year, we made significant strides in improving the lives of people in our community. At the same time, we worked hard to protect the environment.
We supplied 4.6 million meals to 306 charities and community groups. We also saved 1,929 tonnes of food from going to waste. We’re proud of the lasting impact we’ve had.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, donors and supporters. They enable us to achieve so much every year.
Our work is more than just food redistribution. It’s about creating sustainable solutions that help our communities thrive. We aim to reduce food waste while addressing the issue of food insecurity. Our services reach individuals and families in need, providing them with nutritious food at no cost, making a real difference in their lives.
Inside the report, you’ll find:
We’re incredibly grateful for every donation, hour volunteered and all the support that’s helped us move forward this year. Your involvement truly makes a difference in tackling food poverty and fighting waste. We’re committed to continuing this vital work and growing our impact over the coming year.
Read the full report here: FareShare Greater Manchester Impact Report 2023-24
Christmas was fast approaching, and we were excited to share news of a creative collaboration that aimed to raise money and bring makers together. This initiative would help provide food to those in need during the winter months.
The FareShare Festive Feast Wreath featured a unique crochet pattern that recreated a Christmas dinner, complete with turkey, pigs in blankets and sprouts! Lindsay Weston, our resident crochet designer and development team member, designed this pattern. She sold it online, with all proceeds supporting our work in Greater Manchester.
Lindsay shared, “When I started working with FareShare Greater Manchester earlier this year, I couldn’t stop thinking about how I could combine my passion for crochet with fundraising for Fareshare GM for this brilliant organisation. Crocheted food seemed like the perfect way forward. I started by making some pigs in blankets and before I knew where I was, I had a whole crocheted Christmas dinner!” says Lindsay.
The crochet fundraising wreath made a wonderful decoration for any wall or door, complementing other Christmas decorations. It was also a fun and enjoyable project to create. The crochet pattern came with step-by-step instructions, allowing anyone to make their own wreath that would last for many years.
Crocheters could buy the pattern as a downloadable PDF and create their own wreath in time for Christmas. It was available here.
To learn more about this crochet fundraising wreath collaboration, you could listen to the latest episode of Making Stitches Podcast, hosted by Lindsay.
During Recycling Week 14 – 20 October, we’d like to showcase some of the great work being undertaken by EMERGE 3Rs. Collectively, we are EMERGE Recycling, FareShare Greater Manchester and Touch Wood. Today, we are shining a light on EMERGE Recycling and the work it’s doing both across Greater Manchester and further afield to help recycling partners have a big impact on our environment and our community.
Using EMERGE Recycling & Touch Wood has enabled us to reduce our carbon footprint even more, improving environmental awareness with our colleagues by committing to the source separating discipline. Their services are really cost-effective and efficient. The fact that EMERGE is a Bencom and socially responsible really chimes with our ethos and objectives too. As a supplier, they’re a great fit for us and we’re proud to work together
Beth Moore
Sustainability Representative at One + All (A certified B Corporation
EMERGE Recycling has been supporting One + All with recycling services since January 2020. The services we provide them are:
All of the segregated waste streams collected are kept separate to avoid cross contamination. They’re then brought back to our depot at New Smithfield Market for processing. Items are baled and sent to our local mills and reprocessors to be recycled back into further reusable products.
EMERGE send One + All a certificate showing them the amount of Co2 they have saved by real recycling as well as how they have helped us deliver local social value.
Get in touch if you would like to see how we can help you with your recycling:
recycling@emergemanchester.co.uk & call 0161 223 8200
During Recycling Week 14 – 20 October, we showcased some of the great work being undertaken by EMERGE 3Rs. Collectively, we are EMERGE Recycling, FareShare Greater Manchester and Touch Wood. We highlighted the work FareShare GM does with partners in the food industry to reduce waste and recycle food.
FareShare Greater Manchester has been working with the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, GXO, since before the pandemic. FareShare Greater Manchester’s collaboration with the GXO Surplus Food Partnership has made a significant impact on food waste reduction, with GXO donating 13.9 tonnes of food in just the last year alone.
“GXO and our customer, Greene King, aim to send zero food waste to landfill. When we first started looking at options, FareShare Greater Manchester was an obvious choice due to the number of people and communities they support,” says Hannah Chaffey-Green, Operations Director at GXO.
“Working with Fareshare helps us to meet our goal of reducing waste while also supporting those in need,” Hannah adds.
FareShare Greater Manchester’s Head of Development, Ruth Downes says GXO helped us in other ways, not just food donations. “Before we had our current freezer capacity, GXO and Greene King offered us freezer storage so we could accept a large donation of frozen food. This prevented many pallets of ice cream going to waste and in turn we were able to get it out to our community members quickly and efficiently.”
The GXO Surplus Food Partnership not only helps FareShare GM reduce food waste but also ensures that surplus food reaches those in need across the Greater Manchester area, benefiting local communities. Recycling surplus food with FareShare Greater Manchester also boosts staff morale as Hannah Chaffey-Green explains, “Our colleagues love that we support local charities, and always contribute to internal food bank donation drives. We also share information about where the surplus food ends up as our teams want to make sure that we’re doing the right thing.”
Hannah says the impact of such donations are huge and hopes other companies will be keen to donate their surplus food to FareShare. “Giving a little or a lot, it all helps the local community so much. Once processes are in place, it’s really straight forward.”
If you would like to find out more about sending your surplus food to FareShare Greater Manchester, get involved to see how you can contribute. You can also get in touch by calling 0161 223 8200 or email Ruth Downes at ruth@emergemanchester.co.uk.
During Recycling Week 2024, during 14 – 20 October, we’d like to showcase some of the great work being undertaken by EMERGE 3Rs. We are EMERGE Recycling, FareShare Greater Manchester and Touch Wood. Today we are shining a light on Touch Wood.
Touch Wood is a social enterprise which rescues wood from going to waste, be that incineration or landfill. Last year we rescued 600 tonnes of wood and reused 72% of it. The rest was ethically recycled.
Earlier this year, our skilled craftspeople upcycled scaffold boards, industrial reels, part of the Manchester Velodrome track and old whiskey barrels to create a beautiful outdoor wellbeing space for Siemens Energy in Manchester.
The reclaimed wood was used to build planters, seating and tables as well as a pergola with a polycarbonate roof to protect users from the inclement weather meaning the space can be used all year round.
The whole process, from initial design to completion was taken care of by our talented Touch Wood colleagues. We’re sure you’ll agree that their hard work paid off creating an inviting space for Siemens Energy workers to take a break.
If you’re looking to revamp your outdoor area, whether commercial or domestic, give us a ring to talk through a sustainable solution. Call now on 0161 223 8200.
As schools across Greater Manchester break up for the long summer holidays, many families face a significant challenge. They struggle with not knowing how to feed everyone. Throughout the holidays, FareShare Greater Manchester remains committed to our operations. We will continue to support over 300 charities and community organisations that depend on the food we supply.
In the run up to the holidays, our corporate partner, N Brown, has been supporting us with a food donation drive at its two sites in Greater Manchester. Colleagues were invited to bring in non-perishable foods which could be used to make packed lunches during the summer holidays. We were invited along to meet colleagues at one of their collection points. It was fabulous to see so many people coming along during their lunch break to drop off their donations. In addition to donations of food, colleagues also donated £670 to support our work.
We have also been working in partnership with Kellogg’s to distribute pallets of cereal to organisations across Greater Manchester as part of their drive to help those in need. Last week, a lorry load of Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies was delivered to our Openshaw warehouse. We have now redistributed the cereal to hubs in Manchester, Oldham, Salford, Tameside and Wigan supporting families in need.
FareShare UK is one of the beneficiaries of a £1 million donation from Tesco supermarkets. The Trussell Trust is also sharing in the donation to support work being done to alleviate ‘holiday hunger’. FareShare CEO, George Wright welcomed the news saying that with around three-quarters of the 8,500 organisations that FareShare UK supports providing food for children and families, supplies nationally are under immense pressure:
This generous donation from Tesco will ensure we continue providing vital holiday hunger support to charities that rely on FareShare food to strengthen their local communities this summer. Our surplus sourcing model means every £1 donation enables over £4 of nutritious food to support those in need. We are deeply grateful for Tesco’s continued commitment to our partnership
George Wright
CEO of FareShare
Other supermarkets are supporting holiday hunger with initiatives like free children’s meals with paying adults at in-store cafes and other offers too. Please check with your local supermarket to find out what services are available.