Sharing is caring: project tackles food waste while feeding community
A VOLUNTEER-LED project is helping Shinfield families struggling with the rising cost of living.
And it also helps tackle food waste.
Running every Monday afternoon from Shinfield Baptist Church, Share Shinfield invites users to collect high quality food items that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Shop food nearing its sell by date is picked up from nearby supermarkets, such as Co-op, Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and wholesaler Brakes, which are all taking part in the initiative.
The group of volunteers distributes fresh fruit, vegetables and bread items to 50-60 households every week.
Supplies are collected at the foodshare in-person or delivered to those who are unable to travel, with a weekly open-boot collection point also held in Spencers Wood.
Although the surplus food
project began in earnest at the start of this year, the concept was born at an earlier, more opportune moment, according to one of the project leaders, Sarah O’Neill.
“People in the church had actually mentioned the idea of setting up a foodbank, which we started just before the pandemic in 2020,” she explained.
“We were able to help people locally during those couple of years. It was totally God’s timing.”
The project’s initial success inspired the group to establish a structured food service that could further combat the issue of wastage on a long-term basis.
“The idea was always really to have something that was more regular and consistent,” Ms O’Neill said.
“We’re all passionate about food waste and as we came out of the pandemic at the end of last year, we wanted to have something where we could welcome people into the church and share food.”
Sarah Buzza looks after her daughter and housebound friend, preparing meals using produce she collects from Share Shinfield.
“I come in every Monday. I look after an elderly gentleman, so I pick up some items for him because he’s housebound. I cook for him and we have meals together,” she said.
“I also help out my daughter, who’s a single mother, because she can’t get to her local food bank.”
Demand for food shares has been on the rise, particularly in the current cost of living crisis, something Ms Buzza was swift to highlight.
“It’s a lifeline for a lot of people. It certainly is for me because I’m on benefits now and I can’t work again,” she explained. “The cost of living has gone up when, at the same time, our benefits haven’t. All the bills go up and you’re not left with anything.”
Community is at the heart of Shinfield Share’s activity. Visitors are encouraged to stay for a chat over coffee, tea or cake, while children can get stuck into some arts and crafts.
Everyone is welcome, regardless of background or belief.
Organisers say the project has successfully detached the stigma that can deter people from using such food services.
“The bottom line is everyone here is an environmental champion regardless of their circumstances,” Ms O’Neill said.
“We do have people who come here that probably can’t afford to shop, but we want to be clear that there shouldn’t be any stigma, because it’s really about tackling this important environmental issue.
The organisers are already planning ways to enhance Share Shinfield’s provision.
“We had the Citizens Advice Bureau come down last week and we’d love to be able to do these things on a regular basis. We’re hoping to be able to do that once a term,” Ms O’Neill explained.
“We’d like to forge these types of relationships, so we’d be really welcome to other people or services coming through and offering what they can as well.”