Surplus Food Redistribution Resources - A working post
This post will help us to share resources on surplus food redistribution, so you can understand more about setting up food redistribution networks in your area.
If you have found other useful resources please share them in the comments and we will update the page. If you have any questions or queries please send them in the comments, or feel free to get in touch with us at: aberfoodsurplus@outlook.com
Our Approach
We took time to explore our approach to reducing surplus food and sharing it amongst the community, this has been a rewarding experience and helps us to engage and collaborate with the community in a meaningful way. To read more about our approach please read more on this page of our website, and to find out what we do please see here. To read more about our perspective on the role of surplus food in the community please read our blog post here where we explain the potential of surplus food as a community resource.
How did Aber Food Surplus start redistributing food waste?
We connected with a local supermarket to help them reduce food waste and share it amongst the community. We connected with local charity partners who are able to receive and utilise surplus food. We contacted and visited other food redistribution organisations to see how it worked in practise: we went to the Bethesda ‘Real Junk Food Project’ in North Wales, and to the Transition Bro Gwaun Community Cafe (Fishguard). We shared our vision with a local housing association, local authorities and community stakeholders to explore potential sites that could be a food safe venue for storing the food. We used advice from WRAP and Fareshare initially to understand our role in maintaining food safety procedures throughout food surplus redistribution. We are aware of and implement the standards set out by the Food Standards Agency and the Trading Standards, and we are registered as a food business with our local authorities (meaning we have been trained and inspected on food safety, and have obtained a 5* food rating). We host community cafes and meals to bring people together to share community conversations over food. We connected with Hubbub to open a community fridge to increase the amount of food waste redistributed and to build community conversations.
We started the project as volunteers, and after a year we applied for European Rural Development Funds from the ‘LEADER’ program to fund a pilot expansion project, and have since received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund to build on this work and create a community Food Sharing Hub (ECO: Environment, Community, Opportunity).
Food Redistribution Resources
WRAP
Forming effective partnerships
The Food Hubsters Network
Join the network to get involved
National Food Redistribution Organisations:
Hubbub & the Community Fridge Network - when you sign up they send out useful resources like a ‘How To Guide’, read more here.
Neighbourly - works with M&S and lidl to redistribute food waste to charities / community groups
Fareshare / Food Cloud - works with Tesco and wholesale/manufacturers to redistribute food waste to charities / community groups
Olio - An app that supports communities to share surplus food from homes
2 Good 2 Go - An app that supports business to share surplus food amongst their communities at reduced cost