Major new food hub launched to tackle poverty, waste and unemployment in the West Midlands

The Sir Peter Rigby Coronation Food Hub in Gravelly Park, Birmingham, aims to serve seven million meals, which would otherwise have gone to waste, to 30,000 people living in poverty across the region.

Around 500 unemployed young people annually will also be given the chance to learn skills in warehousing, logistics, forklift driving and catering and hospitality through employability programmes run at the hub.

Businessman and philanthropist Sir Peter Rigby donated £2 million through his charitable trust in order for the new hub to be opened on Monday (December 15).

It will be operated by food distribution charity Fareshare West Midlands, who said the bigger warehouse will enable them to double their output of support.

Fareshare takes quality, surplus food from across the industry, which would otherwise be thrown away and then distributes it to ensure it reaches those most in need.

Sir Peter said: “Food deprivation is a massive thing in the West Midlands. One in two children does not have sufficient food to eat, which is a startling statistic.

“Against that background, this organisation will deliver seven million meals in the course of the next year. It’s going from three to seven and that’s the effect of putting it into a proper warehouse environment, which has been our part in this.

“There is 25 per cent of food going to waste, a staggering statistic. This is just frankly just the tip of the iceberg unfortunately. We all need to eat, it’s not going to go away. And it’s not just eating, it’s getting the right food.”

Simone Connolly, FareShare Midlands CEO added: “Fareshare West Midlands has moved from a site very close to here but we’ve doubled our floorspace, enabling us to double our capacity and double our output.

“The ambition is to redistribute enough food for seven million meals and to support 30,000 people living in poverty.

“Equally important is the unemployment agenda. What we do here is deliver employability programmes, we will support up to 500 unemployed young people per year.

“In Birmingham alone, there are 100,000 children growing up in poverty and in homes where their families are also living in poverty.

“There is a massive need in Birmingham, but we will go beyond that and cover the whole of the West Midlands.

“Any chief executive of a charity would say it’s a shame this exists but the reality is surplus food will never go away.

“We will continue to do what we can. I do not see poverty being eradicated, I do not see surplus food being eradicated and youth unemployment in Birmingham is the highest in the country.

“We’ve got some big problems to tackle and what we really need are organisations and individuals interested in our work to come on board and try to understand what we are doing and be part of the collective effort that’s needed.”

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, who attended the launch of the Hub, said: “This is needed. In a large part of this region, half the children grow up in poverty and without a warm home, without security and without the nutrition they need, they are unable to make a success of their lives.

“I’m really pleased the Government have lifted the two-child benefit cap but there is more to be done and projects like this will help ensure families across this region get access to the food they need and not suffer the anxieties or the hunger that is holding them back.

“All the meals will be going to people who will not be eating food to this standard or quality. Some of them will not be eating at all.

“I want to thank Sir Peter and Foodshare for the difference they are making to people’s lives.

“They’re not just feeding people but helping young people who have been left behind get access to work opportunities.”