Sainsbury's Oxford Walton Street Local

The Food Rescue Group in Oxford brings together an enthusiastic network of students, university staff, and community members who are committed to greener living and responsible consumption. Rooted in local action, the group reflects Oxford’s growing commitment to environmental sustainability and community care. As communities face increasing challenges from climate change, resource depletion, and ecological imbalance, tackling food waste has become more urgent than ever. Food waste represents a significant environmental and social issue, leading to unnecessary loss of resources, increased landfill use, and the release of methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Redirecting surplus food away from landfill not only reduces environmental harm but also ensures good food can support people across the city. The group works closely with local producers, retailers, and partners to ensure surplus food is used rather than discarded. These partnerships help businesses reduce waste and disposal costs while strengthening community resilience and delivering clear environmental benefits. Pickup and distribution in Oxford are coordinated by Saroj Saurya and Nafissa Sallah Baka, who manage volunteer scheduling, oversee collections, and ensure surplus food is shared promptly and safely within the community. Volunteers support these efforts by helping with collections and redistribution. All items are checked on collection, and anything unsuitable for consumption is disposed of responsibly. Surplus food and selected household goods are shared free of charge with students, university staff, and members of the wider Oxford community. This inclusive approach ensures a broad range of people benefit and fosters a strong sense of shared ownership and connection across neighbourhoods. Where possible, packaging is recycled or repurposed to minimise environmental impact. Through these efforts, thousands of items have been diverted from landfill, greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced, and meaningful connections have been built between people from different backgrounds. By continuing to rescue food and goods locally, the Food Rescue Group in Oxford shows that sustainability and solidarity go hand in hand. Every rescued loaf, every bag of vegetables, and every item given a second life represents a step towards a more resilient, caring, and environmentally responsible future for the city.

At Connection Support, we help people facing some of life’s toughest challenges - from homelessness and mental ill-health to trauma, family breakdowns, and forced displacement. We’ve been supporting people through crises for 30 years, and we now work across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Northampton. Our vision is to prevent homelessness and mental health crises from happening, whilst being there to provide support when they do. Our mission is simple: to help people become safely and sustainably housed and achieve lasting independence. With over 30 services spanning homelessness and housing, mental health, families, young people, and refugee resettlement, we’re working towards a future free from crisis. Across our services we receive referrals from many different sources. Surplus food donations form part of our crisis response and support to many vulnerable families and individuals.

The Community-Wide Food and Goods Rescue Initiative was founded and is led by Saroj Saurya, alongside the support of a dedicated team of volunteers. Together, the initiative works to reduce waste, promote responsible consumption, and foster a culture of sharing that strengthens communities across Oxford and beyond. Tackling food waste lies at the heart of our mission. Producing food requires vast amounts of water, energy, and agricultural land, yet millions of tonnes of perfectly edible food are wasted each year. When food is sent to landfill, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By rescuing surplus food and redistributing it, we prevent harmful emissions while ensuring that good food nourishes people rather than being discarded. The initiative partners with local producers, retailers, and suppliers to collect surplus food and household goods that might otherwise go to waste. These items are made freely available to students and staff at local universities, as well as to members of the wider community. This inclusive approach ensures that a broad range of people benefit and fosters a strong sense of shared ownership across communities. Items unsuitable for consumption are disposed of responsibly, and, where possible, packaging is recycled or repurposed to minimise environmental impact. Thousands of items have been diverted from landfill, greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced, and meaningful connections have formed between people from different backgrounds and neighbourhoods. By continuing to rescue food and goods, the initiative demonstrates that sustainability and solidarity go hand in hand. Every loaf of bread, every bag of vegetables, and every item given a second life represents a step towards a more resilient, caring, and environmentally responsible future.