An affordable food club aimed at making sure food does not go to waste has now delivered more than one million meals in Darlington.
The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT), which launched in the town in March 2020, now has eight hubs in Darlington and has prevented 470 tonnes of surplus food from being wasted.
The scheme is aimed at providing low cost meals to people while reducing food waste. New members are welcome and there is no joining criteria.
Mark Game, chief executive of TBBT, said: “The need for affordable food is more pressing than ever with hundreds of people signing up to the Bread and Butter Thing’s mobile food clubs. At the moment we have a record 1700 people joining every month across our 70 projects. With eight hubs now open across Darlington, TBBT is supporting almost 3000 families in the town.
Read more: Darlington's preparing to wow judges on Northumbria in Bloom visit
“We have a wide ranging, nutritious food offer but that is just the start. Using TBBT helps our members stretch their budgets enabling them to make choices about their other household priorities – with most of our members currently worried about paying their energy bills. We also focus on bringing in external partners to offer support and guidance on a whole range of issues from housing to mental health support.”
The first one opened at Corporation Road Primary School in March 2020 and there are now others at Eastbourne Park Community Centre, Elim Road Pentecostal Church, Firthmoor Community Centre, Skerne Park Community Centre, Red Hall Primary School and Windsor Court.
The organisation’s eighth hub has now opened at The Well, in North Street and runs every Wednesday.
Hub leader Emma Walden says: “We’re thrilled that we can host TBBT at The Well every week. Members signing up here have been delighted with the fresh fruit and veg offering as well as the opportunity to try a whole range of other foods they wouldn’t normally be able to purchase. For some of our members this has been a genuine lifeline.”
Read more: Music, sun and joy: Thousands fill streets as popular festival returns in all its glory
Since the charity first launched its service in the town - supported by Darlington Borough Council, Cummins and Darlington Building Society - its vans, Stephen and Elaine have made 667 weekly deliveries to its hubs and 33,604 people have bought their weekly food bags - the equivalent of 1,120,000 meals.
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated Darlington Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here