The UK’s biggest food redistribution charity has unveiled its new name, while warning a “perfect storm” food poverty crisis is heading in the UK’s direction due to the war in Iran.
FareShare and The Felix Project announced in September last year that they were merging to form a “bigger and more ambitious organisation” with greater national impact.
Today the newly merged body revealed it would from now be known simply as Felix, honouring the name of Felix Byam Shaw. His parents Justin and Jane founded the charity in memory of their son, who died from meningitis in 2014 aged just 14 and had taken the issue of food insecurity to heart during his life.
It released a survey showing 41% of charities who receive food from Felix had already seen an increase in demand, with a further 13% seeing demand doubled in the past 12 months.
Last month prime minister Keir Starmer announced the government was working with the industry on a major new strategy to increase the volume of surplus food made available for redistribution, as part of a national programme to tackle food waste and food poverty.
It followed talks with industry leaders and NGOs including Felix, at 10 Downing Street.
The survey of more than 2,700 UK charities found without the rescued food from Felix, 32% would have to close their food support and 52% would need to scale back their offer, while more than 80% of the organisations it supplies could be at risk were it not for the redistributed surplus food they receive.
Felix CEO Charlotte Hill said the alarming figures showed the extent to which families suffering from food poverty were relying on the industry to make good on the plan.
“The current situation is a perfect storm,” she said. “Food inflation means more people simply can’t afford to feed themselves and their families and have no choice but to turn to a charity.
“At the same time the charity sector is seeing higher costs and reduced donations. That’s why The Felix Project and FareShare have come together to form a bigger more ambitious organisation, Felix. Separately both charities achieved amazing things but united we are stronger and have a much more powerful voice.”
As well as unveiling its new name, Felix is also launching a new website and strapline: ‘Rescuing food for fuller lives’.
Hill added: “We saw this in action last month when the prime minister announced the government would work alongside the food industry, the voluntary sector and funders to build a plan to treble food redistribution in the UK.
”Through this vital work we’re turning the environmental problem of surplus food, that would otherwise go to waste, into a social opportunity. By sharing that food with more than 8,000 charities across the UK, we are helping them support more people and strengthen local communities.”
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