Eat cheese to help out

Cheese lovers Sam Elsdon and Shivali Best came up with a clever way to help both cheesemongers and food banks during the pandemic

During the lockdowns of 2020, Sam and his partner Shivali missed their leisurely strolls around food markets choosing cheeses. In fact, covid-19 had forced British artisan cheesemakers to pour thousands of litres of milk away, putting many in the industry under threat.

Meanwhile, food banks were under pressure. The Trussell Trust, the UK’S biggest food bank network, reported an 89% increase in demand, while the Independent Food Aid Network recorded a 175% jump. At the same time, donations fell, and food banks were forced to function with minimal volunteers.

Sam, a recruitment consultant, and journalist Shivali decided to do their bit to help by creating The Cheese Collective (thecheesecollective.co.uk).

‘In the pandemic, cheesemakers – who usually sold their products at events, markets and specialist cheese shops – had to give cheese away for free after losing huge proportions of their business overnight when the hospitality sector closed down,’ says Sam.

‘In the same breath, we saw the huge impact the lockdown had on UK food banks.’

Sam and Shivali partnered their Collective with The Trussell Trust, so for every cheese box bought, they donate a meal to a local food bank. The couple work with a range of award-winning British artisan cheesemakers, including Alsop & Walker, High Weald Dairy and Appleby Creamery, o ering next-day delivery on a wide range of products.

For more cheese subscription boxes go to bbcgoodfood.com/ review/best-cheese-subscriptionsdelivery-boxes.