Two Brighton Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) visited local charity FareShare Sussex on Monday, November 7 with a cheque for £2,000 to be put towards their continuing effort to ensure more people eat during these difficult times.
FareShare Sussex began life in 2002 as a community project. Since then, it has grown exponentially and in 2021 they delivered 1,500 tonnes of food to our communities, feeding 21,500 people.
Every year, the UK food industry wastes 3.6 million tonnes of food, according to climate change website WRAP. FareShare’s mission is to ensure that no food is wasted in Surrey and Sussex.
They are a non-profit organisation, and their workforce is mainly made up of volunteers, who either work during their spare time, or who don’t currently have employment. As a thank you to the latter, FareShare offer coaching on writing CVs and help with finding suitable job interviews, all whilst distributing the food to foodbanks, and those in most need of it.
The donation comes from the Sussex Police Property Act Fund, and further enforces the force’s commitment to foodbanks, and giving back to our communities.
PCSO Robert Bartholomew, part of Brighton’s East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), couldn’t think of a more worthwhile cause during the current climate.
He said: “FareShare provide an incredible service at a critical time for so many people throughout Sussex and Surrey.
“It is imperative that everyone has access to good, wholesome, and sustainable food without having to worry about either paying for it or loved ones going without.
“Our donation means that the money is going straight back into our local communities. FareShare can use this money to maintain their ever-growing fleet of vehicles and cope with the always increasing demand because of the cost-of-living crisis.”
If you would like to learn more about FareShare, or offer some time as a volunteer, they are always looking for more people to help.
Find out more at https://faresharesussex.org.uk/our-work/what-we-do/.
Advice on the help available from the Government during these times can also be found at https://www.gov.uk/check-benefits-financial-support.
