Borough Market celebrated 200,000 meals delivered to people in need last week, with the help of anti-food waste charity Plan Zheroes, writes Kit Heren…
Plan Zheroes has collected around 80,000 tonnes of surplus food since first joining forces with the market in 2014. The organisation has a group of around 40 volunteers who collect the food from market traders and pass it onto specialist charities.
The charities – which include Lucy Brown House, a sheltered accommodation provider on nearby Park Street and homeless support group St Mungo’s – then distribute the food among people in need.
Most of the food donated is fruit and vegetables, but Borough Market traders have also given plenty of baked goods, meat and fish and dairy products as well.
Borough Market managing director Darren Heneghan said the traders take cutting waste very seriously.
“But it is impossible to get quantities exactly right,” he added. “Our footfall numbers vary daily, with factors as simple as the weather or as complex as Covid, having an impact on people visiting us.
“The work Plan Zheroes does is brilliant as it not only combats the issue of food waste, but it also means that those in need of food are receiving some of the best quality produce out there. We take pride in our commitment to supporting our local community and this partnership allows us to reach some of the most vulnerable members within it.”