Eco-chic Brighton certainly loves its food, hates its waste, and will do anything it can to make everyday life a little bit greener.
Our city is home to vegan perfume stores, food waste cookery courses, and a huge population of cyclists all doing their bit for the environment and for others.
Now, Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is competing for National Lottery funding to expand its surplus food network. The initiative would see food which usually ends up in landfill redistributed across the city, helping those who are most vulnerable.
The surplus food network is given a helping hand by The Real Junk Food Project, Brighton’s ‘pay as you feel’ food waste cafe.
Food banks, the homeless, and local food projects would all benefit from an extended network, which will continue to tackle the ever-present problem of food waste. In Brighton & Hove, over a third of what we throw away is food, most of which could have been eaten – and the average family with children wastes £680 annually on uneaten food. The most common culprits are fresh produce and bread.
A spokesperson for Brighton & Hove Food Partnership said: “We’re aiming to get even more efficient about diverting good food from landfill and tackling the reasons for unnecessary food waste in Brighton and Hove.”
If successful, the network will secure £48,469 from The People’s Projects, which distributes £3 million of National Lottery funding per year to community projects. The money will help the initiative support people at more sites across Brighton, raise awareness, and recruit more volunteers.
Winners are chosen by popular public vote. Click here before 4 April to cast your free online vote for the Surplus Food Network.
If you’d like to make a difference in your own home, check out Brighton and Hove City Council’s advice on how to cut down your food waste.
