
Food Redistribution Centre supports record number of community groups, delivering 2.8m meals in 2024
January 2025
A record number of community groups were supported by our food redistribution team in 2024.
Across Lancashire and Cumbria, 150 charitable and community groups received foods and goods last year.
Together they received a total of 2.8 million meals to redistribute to people in need, helping to tackle food poverty and preventing more than 1,200 tonnes of food from going to waste.
Instead the food allowed grassroots groups like food banks, lunch clubs and social supermarkets to feed families and children, train job seekers, or offer support and community to pensioners.
The figures are a jump in output from 2023, when 139 CFMs jointly received the equivalent of 2.4 million meals, diverting 1,000 tonnes of goods from waste.
Laura Hodson, manager of the Food Redistribution Centre, the regional arm of national charity FareShare, said: “2.8 million meals might feel like an unfathomable amount, but our team here have processed every pallet and tray of food that makes up that 1,200 tonnes.
“I’m so proud of everyone who’s contributed to this impact, especially our staff team and volunteers, and also our food suppliers and our wonderful CFMs who collect and redistribute the goods.
“We’re all working in challenging conditions – while supplies of surplus goods haven’t stopped coming our way, demand from communities continually increases too. It’s devastating to know that so many more people are struggling to provide for themselves.
“These figures show, though, that by working together we can continue tackling food waste and supporting so many.”
In Accrington, the Emily Davison Centre, the UK’s first Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Hub, uses food to offer food parcels to survivors of domestic abuse, visiting its food bank or living across its six safe houses.
Its team said: “The food has an amazing impact on our clients – they can work on their safety and recovery because they are not worrying about feeding themselves or their children.
“We are able to offer benefits and budgeting support to those accessing our food bank, and the fresh fruit and veg is invaluable too, as we are also able to promote healthy cooking and nutrition.”
All of our delivery is supported by commercial partners, including businesses in the food retail supply chain which divert surplus stock to our Preston-based warehouse.
Lancashire-based wholesalers James Hall & Co continued to be our biggest local supplier through 2024, providing 56 tonnes of fresh and frozen goods.
Our work is also made possible by volunteers, with 79 people from all backgrounds giving their time at our warehouse last year, allocating hundreds of tonnes of food ready for redistribution.
A further 20 tonnes of pet food and 14 tonnes of toiletries and personal care items were also redistributed to our members in 2024.
Project manager Jill, from Stonham Homeview housing association in Preston, explained the value of receiving non-food items: “We want to support people into education and employment so being able to get up and get showered each morning is the best possible start. These items can also be therapeutic and make people feel valued.”
Stonham Homeview was one of 94 CFMs supported across Lancashire last year. Together they created 2 million meals from the 900 tonnes of goods they received, along with redistributing 12 tonnes of pet food and 8 tonnes of toiletries.
Across Cumbria, 56 CFMs were supported, receiving 361 tonnes of food, 8 tonnes of pet food and 6 tonnes of toiletries, allowing them to create around 853,000 meals for communities.
Shap CE School in Cumbria uses its allocations of food across its breakfast and after school clubs, within lunchtime school meals and food technology lessons, “adding variety and reducing costs” for the school and families, school leaders have said. Any surplus is then shared with families in need, as well as neighbours of the school.
CFM numbers in Cumbria rose by 33% in 2024, from 42 to 56, thanks in part to our ongoing partnership with The Cumberland Building Society. Their £500,000 donation to our work through 2023-25 covers membership costs for groups across their operating areas, prompting more groups to register to receive food.
We also receive generous support from local businesses, including a monthly sponsorship from Global Ardour Recycling Ltd, and a wide range of support from Recycling Lives Services.
Learn more about how you can support or sponsor our work, here.