FareShare Sussex is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2021 to raise £10,000 in just one week.

The organisation redistributes food industry surplus which would otherwise be wasted, to the people that need it most. The funds will be used for providing 40,000 meals for people in need. It will also prevent 12 tonnes of food from going to waste, saving the environment from carbon emissions.

The fundraising appeal runs from midday on #GivingTuesday (30th November) and closes at 12pm on Tuesday 7th December. People can get involved by making a donation to Fareshare’s campaign page at theBigGive.org.uk and then spreading the word with friends, family and on social media.

The Big Give is a non-profit platform that allows charities to raise funds for good causes. Every year they run a Christmas Challenge where donations are doubled by charities securing advance pledges and through additional match funding.

Donations to FareShare Sussex will be generously matched by their pledgers and Big Give Champion The Lake House Charitable Foundation during the campaign meaning donations can support twice as many vulnerable people.

Anna Montananri, Fundraising & Communications Manager at FareShare Sussex said:

This year we’re looking to raise a total of £10,000. In order to access the £10,000 we have in the matching pot, we need to raise £5,000 in online donations. We hope everyone will give generously this Christmas to help us reach our target and enable us to fight food poverty and tackle food waste.

FareShare Sussex was started in 2002 by City Gate Community Projects, with one van delivering to a handful of homeless shelters in Brighton and Hove. They have a fleet of five refrigerated vans and an e-cargo bike and supply over 150 charities and community groups with a regular delivery of food, which is turned into meals or food parcels for vulnerable people across East Sussex, West Sussex and parts of Surrey.

Interested charities sign up to the scheme as members to start receiving a weekly delivery. They include food banks, lunch clubs, children’s centres, supported housing schemes and homeless projects. Projects that feel they could benefit from a regular delivery of surplus food can visit the FareShare UK site to register their interest.

Photo: FareShare Sussex