EV Cargo’s Palletforce and its network of more than 100 member companies are ensuring much-needed food is distributed to food banks nationwide as the cost of living crisis continues to cause problems for many communities.
Last year surplus food charity FareShare moved 54,000 tonnes of food – enough for 128 million meals – and demand is rising.
The charity works with Palletforce and its members to undertake the express distribution of surplus food from supermarkets to many of the 3,000 food banks across the country.
The partnership has been strengthening over the last eight years and has helped millions of hungry people receive emergency food parcels.
FareShare’s work was highlighted recently in The Sunday Times as part of a major investigation into the growing demand for food banks and the complicated logistics behind getting surplus supplies quickly and efficiently to those who need them most.
Palletforce’s nationwide network and logistics expertise provide the perfect solution for FareShare to distribute produce. Palletforce delivers to every UK postcode every day, with freight consolidated overnight at its state-of-the-art central SuperHub in Burton upon Trent, playing a key role in getting food donations to regional centres.
Palletforce also works with The Trussell Trust, which feeds people who are short of food and works to end the need for food banks.
The Food Standards Agency says 4% of UK households have used a food bank in the last 12 months and 15% of people say they have gone without food, eaten less or were hungry but unable to eat. 93% of food banks are reporting an increase in the demand this year, but 73% say the amount of food donations has fallen.
Palletforce Chief Operating Officer Mark Tapper said: “FareShare and The Trussell Trust do an extraordinary amount of vital work in our communities.
“We are very proud of our work with FareShare and the ongoing success of the partnership is due to the dedication and hard work of all of our member companies. This work is very important to us and our members provide an unrivalled overnight service with local expertise to ensure food packages are delivered successfully across the UK.
“Being hungry or frightened about not being able to eat is a terrible situation to be in and is affecting people in all of the communities we operate in, so we are determined to do everything we can do to support organisations like FareShare and The Trussell Trust.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic Palletforce donated £5,000 to both FareShare and The Trussell Trust.
