FARESHARE SLICES A HEALTHY SLICE OF FARESHARE VOLUNTEER NEWS CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY RESPONSE SPECIAL EDITION
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FareShare Slices
1 FareShare Slices
A healthy slice of FareShare volunteer news
Coronavirus Emergency Response Special Edition
2
Hello...
FareShare Slices
As we face up to the coronavirus crisis,
we’re determined to do everything we can
to continue getting food out to charities
and community groups. And we couldn’t
do that without the incredible support
of our volunteers. Over the last two
months we’ve been overwhelmed by your Hannah Feld
commitment and tireless hard work, as we
find ourselves providing a frontline response in the form of vital
food supplies. Thank you. We also want to thank the thousands
of new volunteers who have signed up to help. To all our new
volunteers we offer you the warmest of FareShare welcomes.
Across the UK, charities must now drastically change the way they
In
get food onto people’s plates, often with only a few days notice.
In this issue of FareShare Slices we talk to Shropshire’s Connect
this
Aid Food Project, which is providing a safe place for families in
need to collect fresh food (pg. 6) and Bradford’s Safety First
CTC, which is now delivering hot, healthy meals to those
who are most vulnerable (pg. 10). issue
3
More than ever, thank you for everything you do,
Keeping safe
Hannah at FareShare
Volunteering Development Officer
volunteering@fareshare.org.uk
Network news 4
A community pulls
togther in Shropshire 6
Marcus Rashford
partners with FareShare 8
Safety First CTC deliver
‘Bags of help’ to Bradford 10
Volunteer Spotlight 11
Two minutes with... 12
3 FareShare Slices
Keeping safe
at FareShare
At FareShare we take the wellbeing and safety of our
volunteers very seriously. You will notice that there are
new rules in place in the warehouse about how we
operate, particularly around deliveries and collection, and
that you’ll now be working in smaller teams. If you have
any questions or concerns about these procedures please
talk to your shift lead or regional volunteer manager.
To keep other volunteers safe and reduce the risk of
transmitting Covid-19 we are asking that all our staff
and volunteers please do the following:
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your
elbow (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• Put used tissues in the bin immediately
• Try to avoid close contact with people who are
unwell
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your
hands are not clean
• Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water
often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water
are not available
When you come into the warehouse you will now see:
• Information when you arrive so you can check
whether you should or should not be in the building
• Information on how to clean your hands properly
and when they should be cleaned
• Suitable anti-viral soaps and hand sanitisers that kill
the virus
• New procedures on advice on handling food safely
4 FareShare Slices
Scottish
Children’s
Lottery helps
FareShare
respond to
COVID-19
The Scottish Children’s
Lottery has donated
£100k of immediate
funding to help
Major supermarkets get behind
FareShare reach the FareShare
most vulnerable Our supermarket of £500,000, £5m,
families impacted by partners have stepped and £3m from Tesco,
the coronavirus crisis. up with timely Asda, and Sainsbury’s,
Gillian Kynoch, head donations to help us respectively, will help
of FareShare Scotland, fund our operations FareShare to support
reports that “we’re during the coronavirus our local food heroes
delighted to receive crisis. We face a host in reaching as many
funding from the of logistical challenges people in need as
Scottish Children’s as we work to get possible. We have also
Lottery, which will help more and more food received generous
us all rise to what is delivered safely during donations of food
the biggest challenge this crisis. Donations from Tesco and Co-op.
we have ever faced.”
Food distribution rises in response to crisis
Thanks to our signed up 500 more when the crisis ends,
volunteers and charities across the UK it’s likely many more
partners, FareShare and our supermarket families will face food
is rising to meet partners are donating insecurity.
the unprecedented millions more pounds
challenges of the worth of food. Together we will to
COVID-19 crisis. Since continue to deliver
the crisis began, in just We know that there vital food supplies to
under three months is still work to be support vulnerable
we have doubled the done. The number people - not just over
amount of food we’re of charities applying the course of the crisis
getting to frontline for our help has but also in the difficult
charities. We’ve also tripled and, even months to come.
5 FareShare Slices
Co-op dedicates Easter ad campaign to FareShare
This April, the Co-op worth of airtime. It also
devoted their Easter provided viewers with
ad campaign to a number that they
highlighting their could text to donate £10
partnership with directly to FareShare, and
FareShare. The advert, encouraged shoppers to
which pays tribute to donate at Co-op tills.
local food heroes, was
created in collaboration Meritxell Jimenez,
with FareShare FareShare’s Marketing
specifically to respond Manager, praised the
to the coronavirus crisis. quick efforts of the
Co-Op and FareShare
“I’m delighted we can teams in putting
make it easy for our together this campaign:
shoppers to donate “The advert itself was
what they can to help created in less than a
FareShare and its very week. We love how
own band of local everyone came together
heroes,” said Co-op to make it happen so
retail CEO Jo Whitfield. quickly and of course we
The advert represented couldn’t be happier with
a donation of £2.5m the result.”
FareShare to open eight new warehouse spaces
We have secured additional food in particular.” We are hoping
warehouse space for eight to secure more warehouses across
FareShare regional centres: Kent, the country, and wish to thank the
the Thames Valley, Cymru, the many generous supporters and
Midlands, the North East, South donors who are helping to make
West, London and Merseyside. this possible!
Many of these spaces have been
secured pro bono. FareShare Project
Manager Nathan Au comments,
“we’re extremely grateful to all
the businesses who have stepped
up to offer up vital warehouse
space, helping us deal with a
significant increase in ambient
6 FareShare Slices
A community pulls
together in Shropshire
Connect Aid’s Food Share Project in Shropshire is just
one of many community organisations across the
UK working hard to ensure people in need don’t go
hungry during the coronavirus pandemic. FareShare
Slices talks to Lea Bevan, their Project Lead.
Connect Aid Food to continue providing to only take what they
Share started off as a food to people in the absolutely need – if they
pop-up pantry project, community: “We are have something already
working to redistribute now situated in one at home, we ask them
surplus food that fixed place and set up as to not take it. We’re also
would otherwise have a sterile location, with getting referrals directed
gone to waste to local everything being cleaned from council enquiries
families. Because of the every couple of hours asking if people can
coronavirus crisis, this with disinfectant. come to us for food, so
volunteer run project we’re directing everyone
“We’re using a new to our Facebook page or
“We’re set up like booking system, via Booksy app where they
a market, there’s Booksy, so people can can book in a time slot.
a bread table, one book a time slot to come
and pick up food. We’re “We’re also
for veg, one for
set up like a market, offering a drive
treats.”
there’s a bread table, one through service
is now providing food for veg, one for treats. for isolated and
from a new location People come in at their
disabled clients.”
at Park Lane Centre in allotted time, they have
Woodside, after putting to use sanitiser when “People are asked not
in place special measures they come in. We have to just turn up because
to comply with social ropes around the tables if there are too many
distancing guidelines. and are asking people people here at a time we
not to touch any of the run the risk of being shut
Lea Beven, project food. down.
leader and founder of
Connect Aid, explains “We are in crisis mode “We’re also offering a
how they have adapted so we’re asking people drive through service for
7 FareShare Slices
isolated and disabled an extra fridge to store they’ve got nothing in
clients and have a coned some of the food we at home. Everyone is
area outside. People can received from other soldiering on and pulling
pull up in their cars and retailers, like Burger together to help.”
we will take the food out King. We’re trying to
to them. only give out these items During this challenging
when we sense there is a time FareShare is
“Just today, we’ve got need for an extra meal. facing a hugely
48 clients coming to pick increased demand for
food up but we’re having “Every day we’ve got food. In just under
to limit it to one slot per people coming in that three months we’re
doubled the amount
family, otherwise there are bringing us to tears.
of food we’re getting
just wouldn’t be enough If they get a chance to to charities and this
food for everyone who have a quick chat with would not have been
needs it. us, many of them are possible without our
“We’ve also had to buy telling us they’ve had volunteers. Thank you.
two large freezers and to come to us because
8 FareShare Slices
Marcus Rashford
partners with
FareShare
The Premier League star helps children at
risk of hunger during coronavirus crisis,
raising over £180,000. We find out more.
Keen to help children a post on his Instagram:
who might go hungry “Across the UK there
as a result of school are over 32,000 schools.
closures, Manchester Tomorrow all of these
United star Marcus will close. Many of
Rashford partnered the children attending
with FareShare to these schools rely on
encourage his followers free meals.
on social media to
donate to “No children “So I’ve spent
FareShare’s should have to the last few
emergency days talking to
coronavirus
worry where organisations
appeal. He their next meal to understand
also made is coming from.” how this
a generous deficit is going
personal donation to be filled during the
to the charity. In the closures.
weeks following
Marcus Rashford’s call “I wanted to
out to fans FareShare’s understand the scale
appeal raised over of the problem and
£180,000, enough to now we can reach
create almost a million vulnerable children.
meals for vulnerable It’s not just schools. It’s
children and their community centres,
families. breakfast clubs, etc
Marcus Rashford said in that provide the only
9 FareShare Slices
meal many kids get each I’m partnering with them shining a spotlight on
day. to rework how food is our work during this
distributed during the time of crisis. The money
“No children should closure, with the aim raised will help us get
have to worry where that no child is missed.” good food onto the
their next meal is coming plates of vulnerable
from. FareShare’s Commercial families. ”
Director, Alyson Walsh,
“Fareshare distributes said: “We’ve been blown
food to 11,000 different away by everyone’s kind
organisations across the words and donations,
UK, reaching almost 1m and we can’t thank
people a week. Today Marcus enough for
10 FareShare Slices
Safety First CTC deliver
‘Bags of help’ to
Bradford
We catch up with volunteers at a community centre in Bradford
using FareShare food to make sure that those who are most
vulnerable have enough to eat during the Covid-19 crisis.
Safety First Community the government’s advice
Training Centre (CTC) is on social distancing
a community education, to ensure the most
training and health vulnerable people are
centre based in Bradford. looked after at this time.
The charity acts as a hub We have been working
for unemployed people with Bradford Council
in the area, supporting “We get the bulk to deliver ‘Bags of help’
single parents, job of our food from using food provided by
seekers with disabilities FareShare.”
FareShare and
and those with English
as a second language, wouldn’t be able Safety First CTC works
as well as refugees and to provide this closely with 13 different
asylum seekers. The service without schools, many of whom
charity has been working their support.” have contacted them
with FareShare Yorkshire directly to request ‘Bags
for the last 18 months to of help’ for parents and
provide a pay-as-you-feel students affected by the
lunch. coronavirus crisis. These
include refugees who
Although Safety First have no direct links to
CTC’s core services other community groups
are now shut because or support services. The
of the coronavirus working with Bradford meals are halal and
outbreak, volunteers are City Council to ensure suitable for vegans too.
determined to ensure those in need have food
those most in need still delivered directly to their Chris says: “We get the
get food and support. homes. bulk of our food from
Many of the attendees Chris Graham of Safety FareShare and wouldn’t
depend on the food the First CTC explains: “We be able to provide this
charity provides so Safety have had to change our service without their
First CTC have been model as well as follow support.”11 FareShare Slices
Volunteer spotlight
Abbie Wise
Abbie Wise, 20, is studying even if they got the virus, People are either too scared
Spanish at Newcastle wouldn’t suffer too badly or too vulnerable to leave
University. She was on a (fingers crossed). their houses, so I think it’s
year abroad in Barcelona really worthwhile to make
but she decided to fly back I just thought I probably sure that everyone gets fed
to Lymington in Hampshire ought to do something while this is going on.
as the pandemic worsened useful for society.
in Spain. Unable to return
to her studies, she started That’s why I joined
volunteering at FareShare FareShare. I think it’s just
Southern Central. a terrifying idea that some
families won’t be able to
Abbie says: “I’ve never get food.
really thought about
volunteering before, but
I’ve had to come home and
now I don’t have a lot to
do, so I thought I’d go and
see what it’s about.
I was living in Spain.
I flew back to London
first and then my mum
lives in Lymington near
Southampton, which is
where I am now.
I’ve not got anything to do
now at all, no online work
or anything.
I felt like I should do
something as an able-
bodied young person who,
We need YOUR stories
Has your Regional Centre held a special celebration or hit a big food milestone?
Do you want to give a shout out to an ‘unsung hero’, or spread the word about a
fundraising challenge? Would you like to write an article for us, or feature in our
‘volunteer spotlight’? Get in touch with FareShare Slices by calling 020 7394 2462 or
email volunteering@fareshare.org.uk.Two minutes with... Each issue, we’ll be finding out more about one of our amazing volunteers. This time we’ve got Leon from FareShare Sussex in the hot seat. Which living person do you most admire? Deborah Meaden, entrepreneur at Dragon’s Den Which talent would you most like to have? Read minds, to know what people think (about me) Where would you most like to live? In Malta, I went there for 4 weeks when I was 15 and really like it and also because of the weather. What was the last film you watched? Hard to kill. I like it, Steven Seagal is a good actor.
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