Empower communities to reduce UK food poverty

We are delighted to publish FoodCycle’s first ever Social Impact Report this month – the culmination of many months of monitoring and evaluation at our projects. You can see the full report here and see a summary of our findings below… 

Key findings, demographics and case studies from the report:

• Reducing food poverty: 31,635 meals served this year; 73% of guests eat more fruit and veg after coming to a FoodCycle meal
• Reducing social isolation: Over 1,000 community dining events; 85% of guests have made new friends since coming to FoodCycle and 87% feel more a part of the community
• Tackling food waste: 46 tonnes of surplus food reclaimed for use this year, a CO2 saving of 207 tonnes.
• Training volunteers: 26,340 hours given by volunteers this year, 39 trainees supported into employment through the cafe, and 87% of Hub Leaders believe the skills and confidence gained at FoodCycle will help their careers

Demographics

• 72% of guests have skipped a meal in the week before coming to FoodCycle
• 68% of guests are out of work
• 62% of guests live alone and 19% do not have access to cooking facilities
• 14% of guests are aged 65+, 25% are affected by mental health problems, 23% are affected by homelessness, 27% are experiencing problems with debt

Can you help us achieve more next year?

1. Volunteer
All our projects are volunteer-led and we are supported by over 1,200 amazing volunteers across the country. Find out if there’s a FoodCycle Hub local to you here and simply sign up online to volunteer.

2. Donate
With your help, we can make sure that food waste and food poverty no longer co-exist in our communities. Just £10 is enough for us to buy the extra ingredients needed for a three-course meal for around 50 people who are struggling to get by – please donate today.

3. Fundraise
There are all sorts of ways to support FoodCycle through fundraising – from marathons and cycling events to foodie fundraising dinners and bake sales. We have plenty more ideas for you right here!