It is Volunteers’ Week and we are celebrating our fantastic volunteers!
Thanks to them, we have saved nearly 5 tonnes of surplus food from waste in May! This saved food has been distributed to those who need it most in the Norwich area.
We also want to get the word out about the benefits of volunteering for yourself and the community. So here are 6 reasons why you should volunteer with us:
1. Save surplus food from waste – help the planet by reducing the amount of food wasted.
Wasting food has a significant environmental impact – not only does it waste resources in its production and distribution (such as water, electricity, fuel etc), it also produces large amounts of methane gas as it degrades.
In fact, the environmental charity WRAP estimated that the annual food waste arisings in the UK in 2018 can be associated with more than 25
million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.1
2. Reduce food poverty – food saved goes to those who need it.
The edible food that our volunteers save is distributed to local charities and community groups who give to those who need it around Norwich – where nearly 1 in 4 children live in poverty.2
3. It feels good!
Volunteering can improve mental health and make you feel good about yourself.
Research shows that volunteering is linked to better self-reported well-being, increased life satisfaction, increased self-esteem, and other mental health benefits, according to volunteering charity NCVO.3
4. Be part of a community.
Connect with others who share the same goal in our Facebook group, celebrate people’s food collections and share photos of your own.
5. It's flexible - sign up for collections that fit around your schedule.
There are lots of timeslots available throughout the week at multiple locations so it’s easy to fit collections around a busy lifestyle. Just pick what suits you best!
6. And easy!
Once you’ve completed our volunteer sign-up process, simply book a food collection slot at a time that works for you, collect the surplus food from your local food provider, and drop it off at our hub.
You can complete collections by car or use one of our bike and trailer setups.
We’ve shared just 6 reasons to volunteer with us but there are plenty more. If you’ve enjoyed volunteering with us, let us know by email or on our socials (links below). We would love to hear about your experiences!
If you’re interested in volunteering with us, sign-up here. If you’d like to find out more, email us at info@norwichfoodhub.co.uk or message us on our social media platforms (links below).
A massive thank you to all our volunteers for helping us save waste and fight hunger! Why not become one yourself?
References:
1 Figure for UK households, hospitality & food service (HaFS), food manufacture, retail and wholesale sectors according to WRAP's ‘Food surplus and waste in the UK: key facts’ report.
2 See our fact sheet about waste and food poverty here.
3 Find out more about volunteering research and mental health here.
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