Help us fight for Food Justice this Christmas
This article will take approximately 1 minute to read
Published 22 Nov 2021 in Colleagues
This winter we will be relaunching our Food Bank Fund helping to get food to those who need it most. Here’s how you can help us make a difference this Christmas and how you can support your local food bank.
Food Bank Fund relaunch
In the run-up to Christmas (starting from 1 December) we’ll again be collecting money at food store tills for our Food Bank Fund – an initiative that was so successful during the first lockdown and during Co-op Fortnight. We’ll then distribute the money raised to our food bank partners to help them keep the shelves stocked during January – a peak demand period for food banks.
Click here to find out more.
To help boost the total, for every Magic Bag bought through the Too Good To Go app, Midcounties will donate 50p and that will be matched by Too Good To Go – meaning each Magic Bag sold will raise £1 for the Fund.
Other food bank and food justice activities we have planned for December and January:
- Promoting food bank donation
During December we will be promoting our food donation points in food stores to encourage more donations in the lead up to Christmas when budgets are often tight.
- Donating excess food to food banks
During the week commencing 3rd January 2022, our Food Markets will donate excess food (excluding food earmarked for the Too Good To Go app) to their local food bank at 4pm each day – aiming to cut our controllable food waste to zero for the week in these stores!
- In-store chefs will be helping customers cook on a budget
Our in-store chefs will be creating recipe cards and videos, as well as ‘cooking on a budget' videos, to help members and customers eat well for less.
- Providing food boxes to vulnerable children
Working with Walsall, Dudley and Shropshire councils we will be creating and distributing food boxes to the families of vulnerable children during the Christmas school holidays.
- Promoting volunteering with foodbanks over Christmas
Our food bank partners have highlighted a range of volunteering opportunities to us for our colleagues and members, and we will be promoting these throughout December.
-
Download the Too Good To Go app and buy a Magic Bag in December from our food stores.
-
Make a donation to the Food Bank Fund by visiting one of our food stores.
-
Food store colleagues can raise awareness of the Food Bank Fund and food bank donation points to encourage customers to donate.
-
Take part in the Your Co-op Conversation event on 9 December to find out more about how we’re supporting food justice over Christmas and to hear how colleagues and members can get involved.
-
Volunteer with your local food bank. Below is a list of food bank volunteering opportunities and who to contact if you are interested, or alternatively, feel free to contact your local food bank directly.