A regional food charity has purchased a new chiller which will enable it to provide 548,500 additional meals to vulnerable people each year.

Thanks to funding from Asda, FareShare Merseyside, based in Speke, has increased its chilled food capacity and leased an additional van for its fleet. And for the first time ever, the charity has also recruited a paid driver.

The warehouse is one of the regional operations of FareShare UK, and provides quality, surplus food to over 260 frontline community groups and charities across Merseyside and Wirral – including homeless hostels, school breakfast clubs, rehabilitation centres and lunch clubs.

The new equipment will afford FareShare Merseyside the capacity to recruit up to 64 new local charities and community groups in the next year, and the charity estimates the food it provides could reach up to further 6,800 vulnerable people across the region – increasing the number of beneficiaries by almost 25 percent over the next year.

Currently, around one in three children across the Liverpool city region are living in poverty, and in some areas this figures rises to one in two*. The need for FareShare’s service has never been higher and the new chiller and van was therefore vital in order to meet the needs of the region’s most vulnerable people.

This increased impact and capacity to support the community has been made possible thanks to investment from Asda as part of Fight Hunger Create Change – a partnership between Asda, FareShare and the Trussell Trust which aims to support one million people in poverty across the UK. Over the course of three years, Asda is investing over £20 million to enable both charities to invest in infrastructure and offer more fresh food and crucial support and advice to people in need.

Kirsty Walsh, Development Manager at FareShare Merseyside, said: “Fareshare Merseyside has been fighting hunger and food waste across Merseyside and Wirral for almost ten years, and in that time our impact has grown immeasurably – we’re now on average over 15 tonnes of good surplus food to frontline charities each week. Last year alone we provided enough food to create 1.8 million meals for people in need.

“But we know there is a demand for more support, with many families living hand-to-mouth and some 35,000 children in the region growing up below the poverty line – which is why we welcome Asda’s investment.

“If you would like to get involved and support, either by donating or volunteering, please get in touch. Just £1 can help FareShare to provide a meal for a family of four, and a few hours of your time helping in our warehouse can make a real difference.”

Chloe Millington, Asda Community Champion, said: “By bringing FareShare and the Trussell Trust together and investing in their infrastructure and essential services, we can help thousands more vulnerable people in Merseyside and millions nationwide access good quality fresh food. Ultimately, our aim is to change the face of poverty in this country and make sure nobody goes hungry.”

For more information and to find out how you can support FareShare, visit www.fareshare.org.uk

*End Child Poverty, Child Poverty Local Indicators report

Pictured above: Left–right: Joella Campbell, FareShare Merseyside volunteering manager, with Chloe Millington, Asda community champion and Kirsty Walsh, FareShare Merseyside development manager.

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