Member Article

Online Grocer Helps Food Banks In Need

Approved Food Donate to Food Aware After Food Banks Threatened Closure

Sheffield business Approved Food has donated an initial 6 pallets of food and drink to South Yorkshire charity Food Aware in a bid to assist their local community efforts.

Over the past few years the not-for-profit social enterprise, headed up by Managing Director Sean Gibbons, has provided over 5,000 food hampers to those in need across South Yorkshire. However, with recent funding cuts, several food banks were threatened with closure and are now struggling to provide for those who may not have the means to buy the right kind of food and drink.

Sean said, “This very generous surplus food donation will ensure that essential Foodbank support will still continue. In areas in Doncaster such as Mexborough and Thorne Moorends and Firth Park in Sheffield.

“Work is continuing to hopefully re-open Intake and Balby Bridge Foodbanks, located in deprived communities in Doncaster, which sadly had to close on the 1st of May due to the funding constraints.”

There is currently a collective aim to provide further support to the Sheffield Foodbank Network (18 Foodbanks across the City) which founder of Approved Food, Dan Cluderay said they are keen to support, in partnership with Food AWARE, Sheffield City Council and the Sheffield Foodbank Network.

Food AWARE currently helps to feed over 1,500 people less fortunate each week with surplus food destined for landfill. The company works in partnership with over 60 community-based organisations in South Yorkshire, focused on redistributing 5-a-day fruit, salad and vegetables and aim to proactively educate people on food labelling e.g. difference between ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ dates.

Approved Food is a pure online business selling short dated clearance food and drink to shoppers across the UK. Founder Dan Cluderay thought it was ‘simply the right thing to do’ to support the local initiative that was desperate to get back on track and to help those in need in the community.

Dan said, “By the nature of our business we see a lot of good food going to waste which could be put to better use. This is just one of the small ways in which we can help the local community.”

Dan is pictured with Sean Gibbons loading the Food Aware van which has been distributed around Mexborough and South Yorkshire.

Website: www.approvedfood.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emily Williams .