Howden launches food donation station at Fareham branch
Howden has partnered with food redistribution charity Felix
A food donation station has been set up at the Fareham branch of Howden insurance brokers to help combat food insecurity across the county.
Howden have partnered with food redistribution charity Felix to open donation stations across its Hampshire branches to give long-life food to organisations including school breakfast clubs, homelessness charities, women's refuges and community centres.
Howden has set a goal to raise £1 million and contribute thousands of volunteering hours to support Felix's work over the next two years, which could help provide the equivalent of more than five million additional meals for people across the country.
As the items needed can vary between branches, people are encouraged to contact or visit their local branch to find out what's most needed in their community.
The initiative launches at a time when around one in ten adults in the UK cannot afford enough food, while 4.6 million tonnes of edible food is wasted before it reaches people’s plates.
Mike Dalby, CEO of Consumer, Howden, said: “Food insecurity is one of the greatest challenges of our time in this country. At Howden, we saw in Felix a partner with shared ambition and passion to make a meaningful difference in communities across the UK.
“We’re deeply invested in the communities we serve, and through our partnership with Felix, we can actively contribute to turning food into vital meals for people across the country. Whether it's one tin or a whole bag of donations, every contribution makes a difference.”
Paul Amadi, Executive Director of Income Generation at Felix said: “At a time when demand for our food is growing and people are struggling with the cost of living, we're so grateful to Howden for launching this donation stations initiative in their branches. Dried, tinned and long-life products make an important contribution to charities in our network providing food support.
“Pasta, rice, tinned products and sauces all supplement fresh produce and help people create nourishing, warming meals. Many Howden colleagues already support our work by volunteering in our warehouses, and it's fantastic to be building on this with the launch of such an exciting new initiative.”