Food co-op at risk of closure over lack of funding

Rebecca Woolven is the manager of Havens Food Cooperative

The founder of a food cooperative has said her charity could face closure as securing funding has become increasingly difficult.

Havens Food Cooperative in Newhaven collects over-produced, mislabelled and "wonky" food from 19 supermarkets from Brighton to Eastbourne and supplies them to food banks, schools, families, individuals and community groups.

Paula Woolven founded the charity in 2020 and said she and 50 volunteers collect more than three tonnes of food each month and help more than 60 households a day.

Ms Woolven said it would be a "travesty" if Havens Food Cooperative closed.

"Securing financing and accessing grants has become difficult because of the financial pressure local authorities face amid government and lottery funding restructuring," she added.

"Many charities are struggling so there's more applications for funding, which means there is more competition."

Ms Woolven said if she was unable to secure funding the charity would cease collecting food donations on 25 March.

Rebecca Woolven, manager of Havens Food Cooperative, said: "If the charity closes it'll be heart-breaking.

"I can't even express into words how devastating it's going to be. This has become a lifeline for so many people."

Paula Woolven (right) with her mother Marilyn Nolan. Ms Woolven was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year's Honours List in 2024

Ms Woolven says the charity needs £30,000 just to pay for administrative staff, rent, utility bills and petrol costs for volunteers.

She explained that lottery funding opens on 1 April, but said it would take about four months to get a response.

A petition was launched by councillor Sean Macleod, which collected more than 540 signatures appealing to Lewes District Council to allocate £30,000 to the charity.

Macleod said: "Havens Food Cooperative is doing tremendous work and it is supporting families who would otherwise face severe food poverty."

Lewes District Council said it helped the charity secure £200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2023.

"Our allocation from the latest round of UK Shared Prosperity Funding has been greatly reduced by the government," a spokesperson said.

"We encourage Paula to apply and we will help her access other grants and funding streams that become available."