Tweet

Minister Officially Opens Fareshare Cymru Cardiff Depot

24 January 2012

Food redistribution charity FareShare Cymru celebrated the official opening of its Cardiff depot yesterday (23 January)

John Griffiths (far left), Welsh Assembly Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development

The Environment Minister, John Griffiths, officially opened the depot, then assisted FareShare Cymru volunteers in packing food items for distribution to charities and homeless centres in Cardiff and Newport.

Cylch, the Wales Community Recycling Network, carried out feasibility studies and business planning which led to FareShare Cymru beginning operations in July 2011. FareShare Cymru diverts edible surplus food currently treated as waste by the food manufacturing and retail industries, redistributing it to charities and community organisations. FareShare Cymru were able to open the depot thanks to grant support from the Welsh Government.

The Minister said: "Food waste and food poverty are serious problems across Wales. The Welsh Government's Towards Zero Waste ambition is for Wales to recycle 70 percent of its waste by 2025 and to be a zero waste nation by 2050.

"I am delighted to support the work of organisations like FareShare Cymru who work to tackle these issues, and make such valuable use of food that would otherwise go to waste."

Guests from the food industry and the charity sector were invited to the opening, to see how FareShare Cymru is tackling the two major issues of food waste and food poverty, and explore ways of working together.

Representatives from national prepared food manufacturer Tillery Valley, one of FareShare Cymru's major suppliers, are also attending. Tillery Valley has provided chilled and frozen "overs" to the charity's national programme for over two years, and was one of the first companies in Wales to support the Cardiff depot.

To date, Tillery Valley's donations have contributed to 21,905 meals for disadvantaged and vulnerable people. They also provide FareShare Cymru with financial support, donating £5 alongside every pallet they supply. This has provided essential support and training for FareShare volunteers throughout the UK.

Phil Hall, site director at Tillery Valley, commented: "Ensuring our surplus meals go to a worthy cause is of great importance, not just to Tillery Valley's own sustainability, but to the local and vulnerable community too. Our longstanding relationship with FareShare has been hugely successful, and is something we fully intend to develop in the future.

"We were lucky enough to see the impact of our donations on the local community first hand when staff members volunteered here over Christmas, and it's fantastic to return to the Cardiff depot for its official opening."

www.fareshare.org.uk

Darrel Moore