Coronavirus: £16 million for food charities

The government has announced up to £16 million to provide food for those who are struggling as a result of coronavirus.

The programme, delivered through charities including FareShare and WRAP, will provide millions of meals over the next 12 weeks and means that at least 5,000 frontline charities and community groups in England will benefit, including refuges, homeless shelters and rehabilitation services. It will cover rural areas as well as cities, targeting those who are struggling to get food.

Both WRAP and FareShare have well-established networks for funding local charities and delivering food, ensuring support can get to where it is needed as quickly as possible. Part of the fund will also be available for smaller food distribution charities.

The funding is part of the £750 million pot announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak for frontline charities across the UK during the coronavirus outbreak.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “During this difficult time our frontline food charities are doing brilliant work amid a significant increase in demand – working in refuges, drop-in services, homeless centres and other places. It is absolutely vital they have the resources they need and this funding will help the most vulnerable in our society get the food they need at this enormously challenging time.”

Marcus Gover, chief executive of WRAP, added: “We’ve worked with Defra to create a grant scheme of support for the many organisations across England who are feeding the most vulnerable among us. In only two weeks we’ve received a huge response and are finalising the first batch of applications. This additional funding will be used to expand that essential work with support for the very smallest, to the largest charities and enable them to support many more people at this difficult time.”