ALDI CASTLEFORD - ENTERPRISE WAY

Surplus To Purpose (SToP) is an environmental enterprise which specialise in the interception of surplus food destined for waste. This produce may be past Best Before, suffered accidental damage or surplus to requirements. Trained personnel record, process and quality control all intercepted food, to ensure it is safe for consumption. This food is then redistributed through various activities such as; boxes for families, outside catering & events, Pay As You Feel cafes and into schools. SToP intercepts approximately 1,000 tons per year at its headquarters in Leeds - the equivalent of 2.3 million meals per year. A majority of the produce we intercept is perishable items such as fruit & vegetables, and bakery goods. However, we also intercept frozen meat & fish, chilled dairy items and non perishable items such as dry goods, drinks and confectionary. In 2022 SToP aims to become the U.K.s largest caterer of events using intercepted produce. From weddings, to conferences, birthdays and work lunches, we wish to provide environmental alternatives to mainstream providers of contract catering. Our mission is to Feed Bellies Not Bins, whilst educating people on the inhumane amounts of edible food wasted every year in the U.K. All of our spaces are inclusive, and all the food we intercept is available to all. "Let's REALLY feed the world" #SToP wasting food #FeedBelliesNotBins

Our group started by feeding the local community back in October 2022 by offering them a free hot breakfast and a warm space. This has grown significantly since then and now we have up to 50 people per week who use the breakfast service and since July 2023 we offer a food pantry. There is a significant need for this in our local area and we have partnered up with lots of local supermarkets and small businesses who donate surplus food on a weekly basis towards this good cause. Other businesses on board who donate to us are Asda, Morrisons, CO-OP, Booker Catering, Makro, Warburtons, Tesco, KFC, Nando's and Fareshare. The food pantry figures currently stand at around 150-200 individuals/ households accessing food per week. We are a not for profit organisation and a no referral service so that we are accessible to all. We ask all users of the food pantry to queue up when we open which is currently twice a week and take a share of the surplus food provided. We also work with other agencies such as sheltered housing, the local council who signpost individuals who they think need help with food to us. We operate from a small church in Castleford called Cutsyke Christian Church, WF10 5HA. The breakfast we provide is a full cooked breakfast and is served on a Friday morning between 0930-1030am before the food pantry, Alongside this in the School Holidays we provide free packed lunches for any children who may need them, this is facilitated by Morrisons mostly who donate towards this. If we receive large surplus donations of certain foods we cook this into meals and hand it out at the food pantry. We do this more in the winter months when the temperatures are a lot colder. At Christmas every year we also provide a 3 course meal for a small charge of £2 for anyone who is wanting to join in the festivities. We work closely along side the local council and the services they offer to their tenants and the local community. Recently we have had Cash Wise come into the pantry and do a 'pop up stall' offering advice to anyone attending about benefits, bills etc. We also signpost if applicable to the individual to Citizens Advice, local housing options for homeless/ rough sleepers and Age UK as we have a proportion of the users of the pantry in this demographic. Most recently we have had Spectrum Health come into the pantry making sure everyone has a local GP and they can help with testing of certain infections and can help with dental care too. We have also recently has a local Scouts Group come in and help us as part of their food poverty badge, they spent the afternoon with us one Sunday sorting and organising the food ready for when the food pantry opened. We have got the local councillors on board who visit us frequently who are in favour of what we are providing in the community and would gladly be able to provide references if requested,

Every day, people go hungry in the UK for all kinds of reasons, from changes and delays in the benefits system to redundancy to receiving an unexpectedly large bill for a major repair. A simple box of food makes a big difference, with foodbanks helping prevent crime, housing loss, family breakdown and mental health problems. Normanton Foodbank relies on the support of local people, businesses and communities to help alleviate poverty and hunger in our community. Food donations Non-perishable in-date food is donated by the public at places across the local community, such as schools,churches and businesses, as well as supermarket collection points. It is then sorted and packed into boxes by volunteers, ready to be given to people in need. Food vouchers Care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, schools and social workers identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. They can exchange this voucher for a foodbank parcel of three days’ nutritionally balanced, non-perishable food. The help we give… Our foodbanks offers a lot more than food. Our volunteers offer a listening ear to clients over a warm drink, and signpost people to other charities and agencies who can help resolve the underlying cause of the crisis. There are many ways to help The Trussell Trust as a volunteer from helping at collection points, to stock-taking and audits, to helping us refurbish our premises. We can continue supporting people in crisis thanks to passionate people giving their time to help their hungry neighbours. Please get involved by following our project page and share this project with your friends and followers using the social icons on this page. Click the volunteering tab above to see our upcoming volunteer events and sign up to help us tackle food poverty together.