FoodCycle was set up to tackle food poverty, loneliness and food waste. It provides weekly community dining, using food donations from the local communities it works in.
It runs community meals at 66 locations around the country and is looking to expand further this year. Last year the charity saved 208 tonnes of food from going to waste and their network of volunteers across the country turned that food in to 495,930 meals.
Ryan Holmes, B&I culinary director at Compass Group UK & Ireland said: “We are delighted to be working with FoodCycle. Their whole ethos around food waste, supporting local communities and using food to bring people together aligns perfectly with our business. It’s been so inspiring meeting the FoodCycle team and many of their volunteers in recent months, as well as volunteering at some of their sites.
“We are looking forward to sharing recipe ideas and providing further support to the teams. They are a vital lifeline to so many people in the communities they work – whether it’s people looking for companionship or suffering from food poverty.”
In the past two months Compass chefs have been visiting some of the community centres supporting the community meals as volunteers. They have been providing advice and guidance on meal options and will be running cooking sessions to teach volunteers new skills, hints and tips in the kitchen.
Mary McGrath, FoodCycle chief executive, added: “With more people than ever having to make the difficult decision as to whether to heat their home or eat, FoodCycle has become a lifeline to many people.
“[Around] 64% of our guests worry that they don’t have enough money to buy the food they need but 90% said they feel well fed after attending FoodCycle and 81% said they feel less lonely. So, we are delighted to be working with the Compass Group, their support will help us expand even further and reach many more people and communities.”