Shrewsbury Food Hub Receives £60,000 Grant to Combat Rising Operational Costs

Shrewsbury Food Hub, an organization dedicated to reducing food waste, has been awarded a significant grant of £60,000 over three years from Shrewsbury Town Council. This funding is intended to help the charity manage the escalating costs associated with its operations.

The charity collects surplus food from supermarkets, manufacturers, and farms, distributing it to 90 community groups and 13 weekly food shares. The grant will enable Shrewsbury Food Hub to continue covering its rising operational expenses, which have been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis.

"It is a lot of money. It sounds fantastic and we are so so grateful," said Cherry Teearu, the charity's fundraiser. "It will go a long way to helping us to continue [to cover our extra] costs that we have got. With the cost of living crisis all of our costs are going up."

Teearu noted that the organization faces substantial annual expenses, approaching £500,000, to cover costs such as fueling its vans and depot operations, as well as staff salaries.

Established in 2016, Shrewsbury Food Hub began after a local homeless charity approached its co-founders with an offer of surplus supermarket food that they lacked the volunteers to collect. In the past year alone, the hub has successfully rescued 272 tonnes of food, equating to over 649,000 meals.

John Hughes, community engagement officer and head of logistics, highlighted the relentless nature of the charity's work. "It operates seven days a week, all year round, bar Christmas Day, and so its a seven day a week operation," he stated. "We start early doors and then work right the way through. Then at the end of the day we are preparing for the next day ahead."

He emphasized the importance of the grant for the charity's sustainability. "We have a lot of overheads, all of that costs money just to keep the wheels turning before we do anything, so this grant is hugely important to us and just gives us sort of hope and sustainability [to keep] going forward."

Supporters of the Food Hub, like Peter Hampton, a self-described conservationist, appreciate its dual benefit of environmental protection and community support. Hampton, who brings his grandchildren to the hub, shared that their understanding of food waste inspired a school lesson. "When you realise how much is being saved and how much it helps the community in different parts of the community, be it mothers and toddlers groups, schools, people on lower incomes, its great," he said.