Bootle charity partners with Tesco stores to ensure people don’t go without

The store, which is one of a network across the UK, gets some of its stock for free thanks to surplus food from stores and makes it available to people in the Bootle area through the Community Grocery, ensuring that families don’t go without.

Netherton Community Grocery, which is run in partnership between The Message Trust and Emmanuel Baptist Church, receives food as part of the Community Food Connection surplus food scheme, which involves local Tesco stores and food redistribution charity FareShare.

The Community Food Connection scheme ensures that surplus food from Tesco is given to charities and community groups, whose volunteer members then distribute it to the public. Across the UK it redistributes 2 million meals each month.

Sam Hawthorne, from The Message Trust who run the Community Grocery network, said: “We know how tough the cost-of-living crisis is making life for many and how more people than ever are struggling to put food on the table, so we’re on a mission to play our part in solving this. Acting as a bridge between foodbanks and supermarkets, our Community Grocery stores give members access to the affordable food they desperately need to keep their family fed, as well as free wrap-around support too.

“As demand for our services grows, keeping our shelves stocked gets harder, which is why we’re so grateful for the donations we receive in Netherton through the Community Food Connection programme. The donations have a huge impact and are making a massive difference to the lives of our members across the area.”

Claire De Silva, Tesco Head of Community, said: “Working with community groups such as Netherton Community Grocery to help them get the food they need is such an important service for us to be able to provide. The dedication they have to their community is amazing, and we are pleased to do what we can to support.

“We firmly believe no good food should go to waste, which is why we began our Community Food Connection scheme. It enables us to ensure our surplus food is put to good use in communities.”

FareShare is the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and food waste. Two-thirds of the organisations it provides food to support children and families.

Katie Sadler, Head of FareShare Go, said: “The food that Tesco redistributes through FareShare makes a huge difference to people facing food insecurity across the UK.

“We work with thousands of charities and community groups providing essential support to their communities, and receiving a steady stream of food helps them to feed the people who need it most.”

Charities and community groups that could benefit from the support of the Community Food Connection scheme can find further information at https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/