Halifax charity partners with Tesco stores to ensure people don’t go without

The charity gets free surplus food from stores and makes it available to people in the Halifax area, ensuring that families don’t go without.

Halifax Community Fridge receives the food as part of the Community Food Connection surplus food scheme, which involves local Tesco stores and food redistribution charity FareShare.

The Community Food Connection scheme ensures that surplus food from Tesco is given to charities and community groups, whose volunteer members then distribute it to the public. Across the UK it redistributes two million meals each month.

Hassan Riaz, organiser at Halifax Community Fridge, said: “The Halifax Community Fridge is open daily, enabling residents and businesses to share surplus food and for anyone to help themselves to quality food that would otherwise be wasted.

“Unlike food banks, the Halifax Community Fridge is not means-tested - it is available to anyone. It is also discreetly situated to avoid any stigma its users may otherwise feel.

“We’re so grateful to Tesco and FareShare for helping us bring supplies to those who need them.”

Claire De Silva, Tesco Head of Community, said: “Working with community groups such as Halifax Community Fridge to help them get the food they need is such an important service for us to be able to provide. The dedication they have to their community is amazing, and we are pleased to do what we can to support.

“We firmly believe no good food should go to waste, which is why we began our Community Food Connection scheme. It enables us to ensure our surplus food is put to good use in communities.”

FareShare is the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste. Two-thirds of the organisations it provides food to support children and families.

Katie Sadler, Head of FareShare Go, said: “The food that Tesco redistributes through FareShare makes a huge difference to people facing food insecurity across the UK.

“We work with thousands of charities and community groups providing essential support to their communities, and receiving a steady stream of food helps them to feed the people who need it most.”

Charities and community groups that could benefit from the support of the Community Food Connection scheme can find further information at https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/