Community food

Without food to fuel us, we are less able to be socially, physically or civically active. Making nutritious food more accessible means people have the essentials they need to thrive and be more active.

In the UK, too many people are not able to meet their basic food needs. Without food to fuel us, we are less able to be socially, physically or civically active. Through our projects, we work with people and partners to tackle food poverty, social isolation and food waste all at once.

The challenge

Approximately 11% of people in the UK live in food insecure households — where people miss meals, shrink portions and regularly worry about food. Rising costs mean many people are forced to choose between heating or eating. Housing and financial issues can mean people lack the equipment or space they need to cook warm meals.

Even when people have enough to feel full, a lack of fresh produce and cooking knowledge means that people aren’t getting the nutrition they need to be active and live well.

Chef Alex adding coriander to a large batch of chickpea curry

What we do

Where people are navigating complex challenges – food is one of the first needs we can meet. Knowing there will be food at community events gives people confidence that they can take part without worrying about dinner. Taking time over food gives people permission to linger and connect with others.

Meeting basic needs – care in the community

We meet people’s basic food needs through communal dining, community supermarkets, and distributing surplus food via the Food Justice Network.

Across our initiatives and partnerships, we have provided over 90,000 hot meals to those who need it most – including people in temporary accommodation and children eligible for free school meals.

We are incredibly grateful to our food team and volunteers for their work they do to maintain this offer. If you’re interested in helping in our kitchen at Birmingham Wholesale Markets, or delivering food to our network, we’d love to hear from you: alex.doyle@theaws.org

Building skills resilience

While emergency support is necessary, it’s a short-term fix. Through our programmes, we aim to build resilience for individuals and communities beyond crises.
Through our community cooking sessions—people of all ages and backgrounds can learn vital cooking knowledge and skills to prepare healthy and tasty meals.

People share knowledge and skills about cooking creatively with tins, batch cooking, nutrition and low energy cooking hacks. Over time, people discover new recipes and new ways of taking care of themselves, their families and each other.

Our surplus food projects aim to build more resilience in the food system, by diverting fresh food from landfill. People experiencing food insecurity have access to a more reliable source of fresh food and working with partners we are able to re-design processes to build a fairer food system now.

Making a fairer food system

The current food system leaves too many people hungry and too much food in landfill. Each meal we create from surplus food, is a step towards a more just and sustainable food system, in which nobody is left behind.

As we face increasing climate challenges, we are likely to face even greater food insecurity. It is vital that we advocate for policies and processes which create a more just, equitable and sustainable food system.

In our role within the Food Justice Network, we work with over 250 members to imagine and practice the future food system we want to see. We identify new sources of surplus and edible waste food, raise awareness of food insecurity and collectively campaign for food justice.

As part of the Essex Food Strategy Network, we work with partner organisations across the county to develop a stronger, more sustainable, accessible food system in Essex. It is our shared vision to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive through access to healthy food, shared knowledge, and mutual support.

The difference we make

Food is foundational—by addressing some of the barriers people face to eating warm, healthy meals, our work supports people to:

Access free healthy food
Be physically well and develop healthier eating habits
Increase their knowledge of healthy eating and cooking
Have improved mental wellbeing—reducing stress and loneliness
Be more socially connected through communal eating
Be part of more cohesive communities, where people from all backgrounds mix
Be involved in volunteering and making decisions in their communities
Have voice and campaign on food justice issues which affect them

Community-Meals-Partnership-with-Stoford

In the food system, we aim to:

Reduce food waste and emissions
Ensure edible food ends up on people’s plates rather than in landfill
Connect businesses, public sector partners and people to better support communities facing food poverty
Food waste is composted to become nutrient rich soil for future growing projects
Sourcing equipment and materials locally whenever possible to support the local economy

Surplus Food Cook, Tash, holding a tray of onions

Work with us

We are working across the Midlands and Essex to support a sustainable food network that tackle inequality and reduces food waste.

For more information about our food surplus work at Birmingham Wholesale Markets, head to our Food Surplus page or contact Vicky at Vicky.Hemming@theaws.org

For more information about the Essex Food Strategy Network and the Uttlesford Community Supermarket, contact Sylvia at Sylvia.Gentleman@theaws.org