Food charity FareShare has launched an urgent appeal for volunteer drivers to collect and distribute food within the Bristol area.
FareShare South West, operated in partnership with Community Initiatives South West Ltd, collects good quality, in-date surplus food and redistributes it to more than 372 local charities and community groups that support vulnerable people across the South West. These include breakfast clubs, homeless hostels and domestic violence refuges – and this year alone, FareShare delivered over 2,597 tonnes of food (the equivalent of 6,184,433 meals) across the region.
Now, they’re urgently appealing to volunteer drivers to join their team, collecting food from FareShare’s warehouse and delivering it to charities. All that is required of volunteer drivers is a standard driving licence, and the ability to commit to one day per week, delivering to charities and community groups across the region.
Volunteer Manager Peter Clarke at FareShare South West said: “We’re asking members of the public who may have a bit more time during the school summer holiday period to lend a hand and help with increased demand. Our volunteers have been providing a lifeline to people in the region throughout the crisis, delivering food to charities across the region. Now, as restrictions ease, many of our fantastic volunteers are returning to work, leaving us with a shortage of drivers. The charities we serve are still facing an unprecedented demand and we urgently need new volunteer drivers to help us get food onto more people’s plates. We’re really hoping the community will rally round and help people in need.”
Find out more about volunteering opportunities on FareShare’s website: https://fareshare.org.uk/volunteer/