The Midlands: facts and figures

2021/22 has been another challenging year. The amount of food redistributed is now 5,670 tonnes, and our food reaches over 67,000 people every week.

  • 14m people in the UK are facing food insecurity
  • In Birmingham 132,000 children are living in poverty
  • In Leicester 40,000 children are living in poverty
  • In Nottingham 33,000 children are living in poverty
  • 3.6m tonnes of food is wasted by the food industry every year in the UK

FareShare Midlands is the region’s largest food redistribution charity. We take good quality surplus food from the food industry and get it to frontline charities all over the Midlands, reaching more than 67,000 vulnerable people every week. We turn an environmental problem into a social solution. Each day we receive good-to-eat surplus food from the food industry. Last year we redistributed over 5,670 tonnes.

The food arrives into our warehouses, where it is sorted and stored by our dedicated teams of staff and volunteers. The supplies are then redistributed to over 500 charities and community groups across the Midlands, including community centres, homeless shelters and children’s breakfast/school holiday clubs. These local organisations turn the food into food parcels, affordable shopping and delicious meals for vulnerable people. Last year we delivered enough food to create 13 million meals. 

As well as food, the organisations we supply provide vital support to people often facing challenging circumstances and living in poverty. In addition, since July 2021, FareShare Midlands have been trialling the production of healthy and nutritious meals made using surplus food. Our ‘Community Meals’ are made daily at Nottingham City Council’s headquarters – Loxley House, by our hardworking Kitchen Team. Staff and volunteers work together to prep, cook and package the meals using surplus food from within the food industry that would have otherwise gone to waste: https://faresharemidlands.org.uk/press-releases/o...

At the same time, we are establishing new employability programmes, with the aim to support 400 people to gain experience, skills and jobs by 2024: https://faresharemidlands.org.uk/press-releases/new-scheme-to-help-older-workers-to-bounce-back-from-the-shock-of-redundancy-I229.html

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Sign up to our monthly newsletter for inspirational stories from our work and ways for you to join the fight against hunger and food waste. We’ll keep you up to speed with the latest food waste news and even share the odd recipe too.

Keep me informed about

Terms & ConditionsPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyData Protection

Registered Charity Number 1146847 | All Rights Reserved FareShare Midlands 2023

Website by OneLine Designs

Donate Now