A staggering 9.52 million tonnes of food is wasted every year in the UK, meanwhile, more than 3.5 million people are seeking support from food banks.
To mark Stop Food Waste Day on 27th April 2022, national charity BanktheFood has launched #WasteNot, a campaign asking shoppers to reduce food waste by swapping an item from their weekly shop and donating it to their community food bank.
Food banks are a lifeline for those in crisis, but often they are inundated with one type of item while lacking other essentials. Imagine 1000 tins of baked beans and no toilet roll!
BanktheFood has launched a revolutionary free app that sends shoppers a ‘ping’ and a list of urgently needed items from Antrim Foodbank at the most crucial time – when they arrive at Tesco Extra Massereene. Shoppers can then add an item to their shop and donate it at the Antrim Foodbank Collection Point.
Sally Gunnell OBE supports the app:
No one should go hungry. With so many families in our communities facing food insecurity, I wanted to share a brilliant app with you from the charity @BanktheFood. Made in Essex, just like me, it’s a simple but clever way to make sure that generous food bank donations are targeted to provide the most effective support. Check it out, download the free app and if you are in a position to do so, please get on board. We all have a part to play, and together we can make a difference.
Emma Spring, BanktheFood co-founder, explains:
It’s such a simple way to genuinely help the people around you who are struggling and who need help now more than ever. The app means people using food banks get a balance of what they need. It would be great if everyone donated just one thing. Each donation will be putting food on someone’s table, possibly the same day.
The BanktheFood app, which has been running since 2021, is now helping food banks all over the country get the right balance of supplies.
Fionnuala O’Donnell, Antrim Foodbank Project Manager, explains:
One of the things that people say is that they are normally reminded about the food bank when they see our collection points after they have already paid when it’s too late. Having a reminder ping on your phone before you start shopping is brilliant.
Take part in #WasteNot, download the free BanktheFood app, find Antrim Foodbank and help get the goods they need. Follow Antrim Foodbank on social media @antrimfoodbank
ENDS
For further information, interviews, and photographs, contact Stass Daniells on 07968594549 or email [email protected]
References
1 The UK was responsible for 9.52 million tonnes of food waste in 2018, according to a study by the sustainable charity Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). [https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink/actions/action on-food-waste ](https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink/actions/action on-food-waste )
2 Food and You 2 Wave 2 report published showed one in 12 (7%) people aged 16 and over in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had used a food bank in the previous year – representing almost three and a half million people. https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-and-you-2/food-and-you-2-wave-2
Notes to editor:
The volunteers behind the BanktheFood, registered charity 1194167
Emma Spring is the co-founder of BanktheFood and runs the charity day-to-day. A former teacher, she cares passionately about fighting poverty as she has seen first-hand the impact it can have on children and their families.
BanktheFood was developed by Daniel Owen and his digital multimedia company Mustard New Media. Daniel and his team donate their time and expertise to maintaining the app as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Antrim Foodbank:
Fionnuala O’Donnell, Project Manager at Antrim Foodbank, can be reached on [email protected] or 028 9454 8555
- Antrim Foodbank has been providing three days emergency food and support to local people since 2016.
- 1,227 emergency food parcels were provided by Antrim Foodbank between April 2020 and March 2021
- For more info, visit https://antrim.foodbank.org.uk
- Antrim Foodbank is a community programme run by Oasis Antrim Community Support Hub: https://www.oasisantrim.org/foodbank
- Antrim Foodbank is part of The Trussell Trust network. For UK-wide Trussell Trust food bank statistics visit https://www.trusselltrust.org/news-and-blog/latest-stats/
