Diverse Abilities activity and therapy centre, The Beehive, has worked with FareShare to help combat food waste for five years.
A member since 2014, the disability charity collects the surplus food supplies with staff and members from The Beehive. Once collected, the team sort the goods and plan meals. Food deliveries include a range of fruit, vegetables, meat, and fish, as well as store cupboard items, such as pasta.
The FareShare initiative saves edible, good to eat food from going to waste, either via landfill, animal feed or anaerobic digestion, by diverting it to almost 11,000 charities across the UK. Last year, FareShare worked with more than 500 businesses within the supply chain to redistribute over 20,000 tonnes of nutritious surplus food to charities and community groups.
Members of The Beehive also receive an education around the food and its preparation. Recent topics discussed include ‘why we have best before and end of use dates.’ Maths is also utilised, with quantities of items being discussed, portions being shared, and ingredients being weighed.
Once prepped and cooked the food then provides the menu for The Beehive’s Café lunch on a Tuesday.
Deputy manager of The Beehive, Chelsey Mills, commented: “Over the past years we have received all sorts including duck, fillet steaks and salmon fillets. One memorable year we received 50 Easter eggs!”
Claire Martin, development manager at FareShare Southern Central, added: “FareShare has been working to fight hunger and tackle food waste for over five years now, and Diverse Abilities is one of our oldest members.
“Diverse Abilities is a brilliant organisation and a vital resource for people with disabilities in the local community. We’re proud that the food we provide helps the charity to not only make cost savings, which can be reinvested into their other services, but most importantly helps to bring the people they support together – ultimately creating human connections.”
Visit https://diverseabilities.org.uk/adults/beehive/ for more information about The Beehive.