City food charity delivers almost ONE MILLION meals to those in need through coronavirus crisis

• FareShare Central & South East Scotland is now delivering enough food to create around 100,000 meals a week to those at risk of hunger, up from 23,000 before lockdown, to 190 frontline charities across Central and South East Scotland
• Last year the charity delivered enough food to create almost 1.5 million meals to 138 charities and community groups across the region, including homeless hostels, domestic violence refuges, breakfast clubs and food banks

Food charity FareShare Central & South East Scotland, operated in partnership with Cyrenians, has quadrupled the amount of food delivered to frontline charities supporting vulnerable people since lockdown measures began. The charity is praising the ‘extraordinary’ efforts of its supporters and volunteers during the crisis. 

Over the course of the last year, the Edinburgh-based charity redistributed over 602 tonnes of in-date surplus food from the food industry to 138 charities,  including homeless shelters, school breakfast clubs, food banks and day centres. The food they redistribute includes fresh meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, ready meals, milk and cheese.

However, in the weeks following the lockdown, demand for its service has soared and the charity has distributed over 420 tonnes of food. As well as fresh food, the charity is now providing packets and tins to help create food parcels for those who are self-isolating.

Lynnne Collie, service manager at Cyrenians-operated FareShare, said:“Because of the lockdown many more families and individuals are finding themselves in really tough circumstances, and demand for our food has skyrocketed.

“We’re doing everything we can to continue to get food onto people’s plates, whether that’s delivering fresh food to homeless hostels and domestic violence refuges, or supplying community organisations with the packets and tins they need to get vital food supplies onto the doorsteps of families who are self-isolating.

 “We’re incredibly grateful to our team of volunteers who have gone above and beyond to get this food out, and to everyone who has made a donation. These are tough times for everyone and it’s so heartening to see our community pulling together to get food out to people who need it during this crisis.”

Cyrenians, a Scottish charity tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness, uses FareShare food in a number of its services.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, emergency food bags are being prepared and delivered to at-risk individuals and families across Edinburgh, Falkirk and the Lothians, including those with experience of homelessness currently self-isolating in hotels. The produce also goes towards their Community Cook School, which has been repurposed into a production kitchen, cooking up to 1,000 ready-meals a day.

Neil Hay, Head of Enterprise at Cyrenians, said:“Nobody should have to go without essentials like food or a home. This crisis has put even more pressure on communities who were already struggling to get by, so it is vital that people get the support they need.

“The team of staff and volunteers have done a phenomenal job in seamlessly scaling up the service to meet this demand during an exceptionally difficult period.

“I would like to extend my thanks to all those who have supported our work – the response over these past few months has been both staggering and humbling, and we could not do what we do without their assistance.”

To find out more and donate to FareShare Central & South East Scotland, visit: www.cyrenians.scot/community-and-food/good-food/fareshare.