Funding for Derbyshire 'superkitchens' approved

Last year more than 22,000 people in Derbyshire used a food bank

Funding has been approved to open several kitchens and a "food hub" in Derbyshire in a bid to prevent people from having to use food banks.

The hub, run by FareShare, will receive unsold, perishable food from supermarkets and food suppliers.

Community groups then collect food from the hub to cook for people and families struggling to feed themselves.

According to Derbyshire County Council, 22,000 residents used food banks last year.

The go-ahead for the hub comes on the same day a government adviser on child health said the absence of free school meals during the summer holidays meant some children were going hungry.

Steven Doig, who works at a similar hub in Sneinton, Nottinghamshire, said when he first started about 25 customers paid £2.50 each for a meal.

This has now increased to about 70 people - depending what was on the menu.

"It's not easy, it's hard work but the reward factor is immense," said Mr Doig.

'Community cooking'

Julie Hirst, public health principle at Derbyshire County Council, said food banks were not the best way of ensuring everyone had a hot meal as some people did not have cooking facilities.

Funding for the food hub and about 16 "superkitchens" has been approved for three years.

"What we're trying to do is set up small groups of people that are happy to come together to cook for their community," she said.

"We are going to support groups to take the food, cook it and eat it in a communal setting."

Simone Connolly, project manager for FareShare in the East Midlands, said the hub would "hopefully" be up and running by the middle of September.