Bristol mum group say food donations have 'stopped people going hungry'

Neighbourly work with corporate businesses by collecting surplus food to donate to local causes

A food donation organisation says it has helped distribute 100 million meals across the UK since it was launched.

Giving platform Neighbourly, based in Bristol, works with businesses to take surplus food and give it to community charities across the UK.

Started in 2014, Neighbourly links companies such as M&S and Lidl to local causes.

Michelle Cash, surplus coordinator at Mamas Bristol CIC, said the donations had stopped people "going hungry".

Ms Cash said: "Receiving the food donations through Neighbourly has enabled us to help put meals on families' tables, stopped people from going hungry and saved so much food from going to waste!"

Neighbourly said that between August 2021 and August 2022 alone more than 32.8 million meals were redistributed in the UK, with an overall value of £62.3 million.

Chief Executive Officer Steve Butterworth said: "The fact that foodbanks and front-line charities are facing such significant demand is a stark reminder of the scale of the cost-of-living crisis and they shouldn't need to rely on surplus to help solve social challenges."

"Equally, we know that 17% of food is wasted in retail," added Mr Butterworth, who says Neighbourly are committed to doing what they can to reduce food wastage here in the UK and to ensure these valuable resources go to the best possible use.

"We are so grateful for the help and support from Neighbourly and the participating stores," said Ms Cash, adding that the donations had allowed Mamas Bristol, which works with families to supply clothing and food, to provide "this much-needed support for the community".