FoodCycle

FoodCycle

At a glance

Causes

  • Children / families
  • Health and well being / research and care
  • Housing and homelessness
  • Local / community
  • Mental health
  • Older people / later life
  • Poverty relief
  • Refugees / migrants
  • Social care

Other details

Organisation type: 
Charity
Geographical remit: 
National - England

Objectives

OUR VISION: A society where no one is hungry or lonely

OUR MISSION: To nourish communities using surplus food

OUR AIMS:

  • strengthen communities by bringing people together around a healthy meal
  • encourage friendships by creating spaces for people from all backgrounds and walks of life to have fun together
  • improve nutrition and reduce hunger by cooking healthy meals for those in need
  • change attitudes to food by cooking with surplus ingredients and spreading our passion for food and the environment

Activities

FoodCycle Builds Community

We have over 12,000 volunteers registered with us to deliver a FoodCycle Project in their local area. A project is where FoodCycle volunteers collect surplus food and cook it Ready, Steady, Cook-style into delicious meals which they serve to guests from the local community.

At every meal, volunteers and guests sit down together to eat the meal together. Conversation flows, barriers are broken down and friendships are formed.

We work within lots of different communities and meet all kinds of people at our projects. Many of our guests include older people, people dealing with mental health issues, those affected by homelessness, low-income families, asylum seekers and refugees, and people who are long-term unemployed.

 

WE BUILD COMMUNITIES

Communities are built around FoodCycle meals: guests and volunteers meet new people and make friends, eat with those from different walks of life and share conversations with one another.

  • 87% of our guests said FoodCycle has a positive effect on their local area
  • Over 80% of guests say they have made friends and feel more a part of their community
  • Over 85% of volunteers have developed a better understanding of other cultures and backgrounds

WE REDUCE FOOD POVERTY

Our projects are based in some of the most deprived communities in the UK and support people living with hunger and poverty.

  • Each week 1500 people walk through our doors looking for friendship, conversation and meal

WE ARE A PLACE FOR OUR GUESTS TO MAKE FRIENDS

A lack of social contact with other people can have a huge effect on an individual’s mental and physical health.

  • Over half of guests say their social connections are better since coming to a FoodCycle meal
  • Over 70% of our guests come to a meal at least once a fortnight and many attend once or twice a week
  • Over half of our guests live alone and 68% feel lonely

No current opportunities

Search for volunteer opportunities with other organisations.