Looking for New Year motivation?
January can feel like a long month – cold, dark, and full of good intentions. This year, we’re inviting you to do something really impactful.
We’re excited to launch Miles for Meals, a brand-new January challenge to support FareShare Greater Manchester’s Winter Van Appeal. Simply walk/run/cycle/swim (or roller skate if that’s your thing) a set number of miles and get sponsorship for doing it. By taking on the challenge, you’ll help us raise vital funds to replace one of our ageing delivery vans – and keep good food moving to the communities that need it most.
Every week, FareShare Greater Manchester delivers surplus food to 60 charities and community organisations across our region. From school breakfast clubs and food banks to homeless shelters and community cafés, our deliveries help thousands of people access nutritious food with dignity.
But none of this happens without our vans.
Our fleet works hard – really hard. One of our vehicles is over 17 years old, and another has clocked up more than 235,000 miles. Breakdowns and repairs are becoming more frequent, and without reliable vans, food simply can’t reach the 60 organisations every week who rely on our deliveries.
That’s why we’re raising £25,000 to replace one of our vans – and why your steps this January matter more than ever.
This January, we’re asking supporters to travel the distance of one of our real delivery routes and get sponsored for every mile they complete.
It’s a simple idea with a big impact:
🚶 Choose a distance
📅 Walk/run/cycle/swim the miles across January, in one go or bit by bit
💚 Get sponsored per mile or with a one-off donation
🚚 Help keep FareShare Greater Manchester on the road
Every mile you walk helps turn surplus food into meals for people who need them.
Whether you walk around your local park, through your neighbourhood, or across Greater Manchester, every step (or swim or bike ride) you take represents food delivered, waste prevented, and communities supported.
Last year alone, FareShare Greater Manchester:
Rescued 2,000 tonnes of good-to-eat surplus food
Delivered the equivalent of 4.72 million meals
Supported over 290 charities and community groups
By taking part in Miles for Meals, you’re helping ensure this work can continue – safely, reliably, and sustainably.
Miles for Meals is open to everyone — individuals, families, workplaces, and walking groups. You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete; you just need a pair of comfortable shoes and a willingness to step up for your community.
👉 Sign up, start walking, and ask friends and family to sponsor your miles.
👉 Share your progress on social media using #MilesForMeals
👉 Help us reach our £25,000 goal and keep our vans (and food) moving.
This January, your steps can do more than clear your head.
They can help put food on tables across Greater Manchester.
Let’s walk, run, cycle, swim or skate the miles. Let’s keep FareShare Greater Manchester on the road.
We need your help to raise £25,000 for a new delivery van
Every week, FareShare Greater Manchester delivers good-to-eat surplus food to charities and community groups across our city – turning what would have gone to waste into meals for people who really need them.
But right now, our delivery vans – the vital link between our warehouse and the people we serve – are reaching the end of the road. One of our vans is 17 years old, another has clocked up an incredible 235,000 miles. Without them, we simply can’t reach the 60 groups every week who rely on us to deliver their food to them.
That’s why we’re launching a campaign to raise £25,000 to replace one of our vans and keep our deliveries rolling.
To launch the appeal, we’ve created a special video featuring Simon, one of our delivery drivers, Derek, our head of operations, and two of our amazing partner charities we deliver to each week: Coffee4Craig in central Manchester and the Bideford Centre in Wythenshawe. They share first-hand what our deliveries mean, not just in food, but in hope and community.
Every year, millions of tonnes of good food are wasted by the UK food industry. At the same time, millions of people struggle to afford to eat. FareShare Greater Manchester fights both problems by rescuing perfectly good surplus food and redistributing it to charities and community organisations.
Last year alone, we saved 2,000 tonnes of food from going to waste – the equivalent of 4.72 million meals. That food reached over 290 local charities and community groups, from school breakfast clubs to elderly luncheon clubs, homeless shelters to community pantries.
But none of this would be possible without our vans. They are the backbone of the operation – the wheels that carry food and hope across Greater Manchester.
We urgently need to raise £25,000 to replace one of our vans. Every donation, large or small, brings us closer to keeping food deliveries on the road for the communities that depend on them.
Together, we can keep FareShare Greater Manchester moving – and keep good food going where it’s needed most.
A group of Manchester schoolchildren learnt where their food comes from. They then put their new skills into practice. Moreover, they sold their own produce to raise money for FareShare Greater Manchester.
The Young Marketeers came from nine local schools. Over six months, they learnt how to cultivate food on veg plots. They grew their own produce and cared for it carefully. Finally, their hard work culminated in a special market day. Last week, they sold the harvest on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Dozens of children staffed the stalls, which they decorated with prized produce and colourful artwork. They engaged passers-by with enthusiasm and sold fresh fruit and vegetables to eager shoppers. In addition, the stalls offered plenty of variety. Shoppers could choose from potatoes, carrots, apples, and even beeswax products.
The schools taking part in the Young Marketeers programme included Abbott Community Primary, Co-op Academy in New Islington, Primrose Hill Primary, and St Malachy’s Primary. This is the second year that the Young Marketeers food education programme, run by School Food Matters, has been operating in Manchester and the second time they have supported FareShare Greater Manchester. The education programme teaches children not only about how to grow their own food, but also about food systems and food waste.
FareShare Greater Manchester Business Engagement Lead Kuda Mangurenje went along to support the Young Marketeers and said “It was such a joy to be there and see all the children so enthusiastic about selling their produce. Their energy, creativity, and commitment were truly inspiring.”
FareShare feels incredibly grateful to be the chosen charity for this event. Even more exciting, the children raised an amazing £784. Every penny will help us reach more people in need. Furthermore, we deeply thank the Young Marketeers for their generous support in making this possible.
You can find out more information here about the Young Marketeers.
At FareShare Greater Manchester, we believe that no good food should go to waste while people go hungry. Every year, over 4 million tonnes of food are discarded by the UK food industry, despite being perfectly good to eat. At the same time, food poverty is rising. The Greater Manchester Poverty Monitor 2022 revealed that 145,000 children live in poverty, that’s one in four children, and foodbank usage has doubled in the last five years. Demand for food support has surged by 37%, driven by inflation, stagnant wages, and benefit changes.
This is where the Big Give Green Match Fund comes in. With your help, we can rescue even more surplus food and get it to people who need it most. And the best part? Every pound you donate will be matched—doubling your impact!
We redistribute surplus food to over 250 charities and community groups across Greater Manchester, where it is used to support people facing hardship. These groups provide more than just food; they offer essential support, including debt advice, skills training, and community engagement, helping individuals break the cycle of poverty.
In 2023 alone:
✔ Our volunteers dedicated 21,199 hours of their time
✔ We distributed enough food for 4.6 million meals
✔ We reduced food waste, cutting carbon emissions and supporting a healthier, more resilient community.
Your donation will help us:
✔ Rescue and redistribute more food
✔ Reach more charities and community groups
✔ Provide vital support to individuals and families in crisis
By donating during the Big Give Green Match Fund campaign (which runs between 12 noon on 22nd April and 12 noon on 29th April) your gift will be doubled, meaning twice as many meals for people in need and even greater impact for our planet.
Join us in fighting food waste and food poverty.
Please donate to the Big Give Green Match Fund – the donation page is open now!