Volunteers from across South Midlands took home awards at an annual event hosted by FareShare – the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste – on 19th October.
The event celebrated all those who generously give their time to the organisation, with special awards and gifts given to those making an outstanding contribution to their team.
Among the highlights was an award for Mark Webber from South Midlands, located in Bletchley, who was named as Fundraising Volunteer of the Year.
Mark was nominated by staff and fellow volunteers for the charity bike ride he did across South Africa, covering 330km and raising £5,440 for Fareshare.
He finished 2nd in the over 60’s category, and 34th out of 217 participants. He has volunteered with Fareshare South Midlands for 2 years and 3 months as a driver.
Every year FareShare holds an event to recognise the outstanding achievements and commitment of its volunteers from across the UK.
Over 12,000 people have given their time to FareShare over the past year, helping to get good-to-eat surplus from the food industry to a network of charities and community groups that provide essential support services to those in need. With demand for food from FareShare at an all-time high, support from volunteers is needed more than ever to help reach those in need.
In South Midlands, food is distributed by SOFEA, which serves 53 charities that offer a variety of wraparound services that tackle the root causes of poverty. The food provided by FareShare acts as a gateway to helping people access support services, from lunch clubs for elderly people suffering isolation, to cooking classes in domestic violence shelters and breakfast clubs for children.
Richard Kennell of SOFEA commented: “We are incredibly proud of all our volunteers, and are delighted to have an opportunity to thank and celebrate those that have gone above and beyond to help get more food to people who need it.
"They truly are the backbone of the operation here and play a crucial role in getting food to our communities. With demand at an all-time high due to the cost of living crisis, we are in urgent need of even more dedicated volunteers to join our team, in a variety of roles, so if you have time to spare and would like to work with us please get in touch.”
George Wright, CEO of FareShare said: “Hunger in the UK isn't a problem; it's a crisis. To tackle a crisis you need people to step up and do extraordinary things. That’s what’s happening at our sites up and down the country every day – people are giving their time to make sure that good-to-eat food gets to charities and people in need. Drivers cover miles in all weathers to deliver food to community centres; our warehouse teams carefully pick nutritious produce to go to school clubs.
"We are enormously thankful to everyone across the UK who gives their time to help us continue our vital work. So many of our charities are experiencing skyrocketing demand for their services that food from FareShare is needed more than ever before. Anyone who can donate their time to us will be making a huge difference to getting good food to people and preventing it going to waste.”
Find out more about volunteering at FareShare here.
