M&S Manchester

The Food Rescue Group at Manchester mobilises an active and committed network of student volunteers and community partners from across the city. Led by students from local universities, the group turns climate concern into practical action by addressing food waste at a grassroots level. Food waste is a major driver of climate change. Valuable resources such as land, water, and energy are consumed to produce food, yet large quantities are discarded and sent to landfill, where they generate methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. By rescuing surplus food and redirecting it to people who need it, the group reduces environmental harm while supporting families and individuals across Manchester. The initiative works in partnership with local producers, retailers, and food businesses to ensure surplus food is used rather than wasted. These partnerships reduce disposal costs for businesses while delivering measurable environmental benefits. In Manchester, operations are powered by students from the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Salford, the University of Bolton, and the Royal Northern College of Music, alongside members of the Hindu community and other local groups. Together, they demonstrate how student-led action can create meaningful climate impact. Pickup and distribution in Manchester are coordinated by Haojun Shuai and Ramanujam Nagarajan, who manage volunteer schedules, oversee collections, and ensure rescued food is delivered promptly and safely. Their leadership supports efficient operations while keeping the group’s work firmly rooted in student engagement and community values. Food is collected and redistributed within 15 minutes of pickup, ensuring freshness and removing the need for storage facilities. All items are carefully inspected to meet food safety standards, and any unsuitable food is disposed of responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Coordination is managed through a dedicated WhatsApp group, providing real-time updates on collection times, locations, and quantities. Through this work, the Food Rescue Group at Manchester diverts significant volumes of food from landfill, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves valuable resources, and strengthens community connections. As the group continues to grow, it remains committed to showing how student-led climate action can drive real change, one meal, one volunteer, and one community at a time.

We are a community group who provide meals and surplus food to a range of vulnerable groups. We use the food to prepare community meals for a range of families and individuals (named below) and the remainder is distributed to these people. These being the elderly, individuals suffering from Mental Health problems, Homeless individuals, Families with and without children and people who attend the centre for various community groups that the centre holds every week. This again is for a range of people. The ethnic make up of the people is very diverse aswell. We provide a safe non-judgmental space for people.not only to get food but to also feel safe and to share and liase with one another . We provide a space which promotes health and well being as a whole. A space where people can connect and share. The attendance and response to our food is incredible and quite frankly blows us away. It is testimony that this food is massively needed and appreciated by the community. One comment that was made was by an elderly man who was so grateful and actually said and I quote " Thank you very much for this, you have kept an old man alive this Christmas ". No more needs to be said really.

Who do you help and how do you find them? RCCG New Jerusalem Church Manchester supports individuals and families within our local community, particularly people experiencing financial hardship, food insecurity, social isolation or other challenging circumstances. We identify people who may need support through our church's community activities, referrals, existing relationships with local residents and direct approaches from individuals and families seeking assistance. Our support is open to people in need within the wider community and is not limited to members of our congregation. What support are you looking to receive from Neighbourly and how will this help you? We are particularly interested in receiving surplus food donations from local retailers through Neighbourly. This would enable us to provide additional practical support to individuals and families who are struggling with the cost of living while also helping to prevent good food from going to waste. We would also welcome opportunities for grants and volunteering support where available, as these could help us strengthen and expand our community activities. Do you charge for your services? No. Our community support and any food received for distribution are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. We do not sell donated or surplus food. How would food donations work for you? Our volunteers would arrange collection of surplus food from participating retailers at agreed collection times. The food would then be handled responsibly and distributed free of charge to individuals and families in need through our community support activities. We would aim to distribute food promptly and fairly, taking account of the needs of beneficiaries and any food-storage or use-by requirements.