Food redistribution charities increase capacity to support most vulnerable through Coronavirus crisi

Three food redistribution charities in Greater London will be able to offer greater levels of support to local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic following SEGRO’s commitment to provide them with temporary rent-free space. The space will provide these vital charities with valuable additional storage to accept more food donations, help warehouse volunteers sort and deliver food to local groups and ultimately provide food and other essential items to those in need. Three food redistribution charities that will be provided with rent-free space are: City Harvest, a charity that collects surplus food and provides 80,000 meals on average per week for London’s most vulnerable will take additional space at SEGRO’s Acton Park Estate. Find out more information and how you can help here;

The Felix Project, a free door-to-door service with 1,500 volunteers who collect surplus food from suppliers and deliver it to charities across the capital will take space at SEGRO’s Great Cambridge Industrial Estate, Enfield. Find out more information and how you can help here;

• FareShare, the UK’s longest running food redistribution charity which last year helped almost 11,000 community groups and redistributed enough food for 46.5 million meals will take space at SEGRO’s Deptford Trading Estate. Find out more information and how you can help here; Neil Impiazzi, Partnership Development Director, SEGRO, said: “We know these food redistribution charities are doing incredible work by providing a vital food distribution service to vulnerable members in our communities that are suffering as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. It is a service they provide all year round, but their drive and determination to support those residents most affected should be applauded. We would urge anyone who is able to make a donation of essential food products to their local foodbank. “Supporting our local communities is part of our DNA and, with demand for support from foodbanks rising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a natural step for us to provide additional resources to help the foodbanks continue their extraordinary work to ensure that vulnerable people have access to the help they need through this difficult time.” Laura Winnigham, CEO of City Harvest, said: “We absolutely could not have put our response plan together without the support of SEGRO. Our ability to take in the amount of donations being offered was transformational. We are now finding out exactly where it is all needed most.” Mark Curtin, CEO of The Felix Project, said: “Thanks so much to SEGRO for this new unit, which will allow us to ramp up our operations in a time of great demand. Vulnerable people in London need food now more than ever – an extra unit means we can move ever quicker to collect, process and deliver good, nutritious, free food to people in need.” .” Rachel Ledwith, FareShare London Development Manager, said: “Over a third of children in London are growing up in poverty – and that was before the coronavirus outbreak unfolded in the city. With our service needed now more than ever, SEGRO’s support comes at a critical time as FareShare London, The Felix Project and City Harvest work together to respond to the crisis and distribute greater, vital supplies of food to those most vulnerable across the capital.”