Chef Tom Kerridge is teaming up with the charity to seek delivery of a promised £15 million fund to transfer fresh but unused food from farms to food banks and soup kitchens across the country.
There have been repeated pledges by former ministers to fund the Food Waste Reduction Scheme, which effectively compensates farmers for harvesting, storing and packaging food that would otherwise go to landfill or animal feed.
This pledge was first made by Michael Gove as Environment Secretary in 2018 and later Re-announced by Rishi Sunak earlier this yearBut the money never came. Kerridge is now speaking out alongside thousands of local donors who have signed an open letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, calling on her to support the scheme in this week’s Budget.
The Michelin-starred chef, who grew up on a Gloucester council estate cooking for his brother while their mother Jackie worked two jobs, said the program would reduce wastage and provide much-needed food to people struggling. Will do.
“These charities are the heart of their communities and need more food to help those in need,” he said. “The government needs to step up and ensure that the staggering levels of surplus food that is good to eat is turned into food for struggling families, rather than letting this food go to waste.”
It is acknowledged that farmers are interested in redistributing food wherever possible, but donors say they need money to help cover their costs, as making goods available for redistribution would be a risk from dumping them or More expensive than using it as feed or fuel. In a letter to Reeves, the charity claims food redirected through the scheme could provide 67 million meals and be redistributed to thousands of community groups.
FareShare, one of the largest food redistribution organisations, is heavily involved. Provides extra meals to breakfast and after-school clubs, homeless shelters, and lunch clubs for seniors.
“The food redistribution sector helps turn food surplus into stronger communities,” said Chris Gibbon-Walsh, CEO of FareShare. “These local charities turn food into food that would otherwise go to waste, providing a gateway to other essential services that support those in need. This fund is an incredible opportunity to save millions of tons of fresh produce from our farms and help solve the environmental problem of food waste for social good.
“Despite the announcement in February, the fund remains in limbo while we wait for the Treasury to commit to this funding. But the frontline charities we support can’t wait. The Prime Minister has said he wants to create a “service society” and Defra wants to prioritize a zero-waste economy – this fund is a great first step. We look forward to working with the Government, along with the food redistribution sector, to make these ambitions a reality.
Charlotte Hill, who runs a Felix Mission ATM in London, said it was “a scandal” that fresh British food was wasted despite the huge number of families suffering from food insecurity. ,The Felix Project recently found that 56% of working-class families in London rely on food banks to help feed their children. He said. ,
These places are facing huge demand for aid and urgently need more food. This funding has the potential to unlock a huge amount of healthy and nutritious products. “This will result in millions of meals reaching those in need.”
Government sources said ministers are committed to working to reduce wastage and reduce food surpluses. The government wants to halve food wastage by 2030. However, she warned there were “difficult decisions” coming as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) plays its part in closing the £22bn black hole in the public finances this year.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The amount of food we waste is a stain on our country. We’re working with businesses to reduce food waste and ensure food reaches the plates of those most in need. This includes supporting the donation and redistribution of excess food to others who can use it, and programs to help citizens reduce food waste. We are grateful to food producers, charities and retailers across the region for their work in tackling this issue.
