Branston chips in with kind-hearted spud donation
Lincolnshire-based potato supplier Branston has donated one million meals’ worth of spuds to Fareshare, the UK’s largest network of charitable food distributors.
The company says it has delivered a total of 418 tonnes of potatoes from its Lincoln, Taunton and Perth sites after setting up a programme of weekly donations.
Branston’s potatoes have provided a lifeline to a range of communities over the past few years, with a large percentage of donations going to low and no-income households, those who are homeless, children and elderly people in need.
Simon Telfer, HR director at Branston, said: “Reaching this huge milestone is a proud moment for Branston. Supporting charitable organisations is a major part of our ethos and FareShare’s commitment to not only reducing food waste, but also providing nourishing meals for those in need, really resonates with us as a business.
“Potatoes are a household staple that are easy to cook with and offer a range of nutritional benefits, making them an essential part of many meals. As more and more people are affected by the ongoing cost of living crisis, we’re so pleased to be supporting a range of charities that offer help to those in need, from food banks to community kitchens.
“We’re proud to be able to contribute such an enormous donation, which has assisted FareShare’s incredible work in delivering the equivalent of almost 130 million meals throughout the last financial year, and we encourage more businesses to join forces with the charity and support communities in need.”
Ben Read, commercial officer at FareShare, said: “The potatoes we receive from Branston are so valuable for the charities we support. The versatility of the product really benefits people who are struggling with partnerships such as these vital during the current cost of living crisis which we are currently facing. We want to extend a big ‘thank you’ to the Branston team for its continued support and congratulations on reaching an amazing milestone of which one million meals have been redistributed to FareShare.”
Jenny Flood, a volunteer and administrative coordinator at Gussies Kitchen in Chesterfield, which provides free food parcels to people in need, added: “The type of food that we receive from our FareShare deliveries has made such a difference to the families and individuals that we support, in that they are able to make well-balanced nutritious meals. We’ve seen the positive impact that donations like Branston have on our beneficiaries first hand and it really has made an enormous impact on people’s lives.”
