HE Barnes Ltd has partnered up with FareShare Yorkshire to distribute surplus food to frontline projects. The Sheffield-based mechanical, electrical and facilities management company made the donation in September in response to a call for help, when the charity faced an overwhelming demand for surplus food. The five-figure donation towards the charity’s van costs means that its 60 volunteers will be able to deliver enough food for 500,000 extra meals each year.
Jonathan Williams the charity’s Head of Development said “We cannot thank the Directors of HE Barnes enough for their generosity. They approved a request of £5,000 and then doubled it so our team can do everything possible to support vulnerable people at this time. Many frontline services like lunch and breakfast clubs still cannot operate as normal but they are now more important than ever before, as increasing numbers of people face isolation and an uncertain future. The support of HE Barnes means that our volunteers can utilise a van to deliver enough food for two million meals over the next four years.”
Nigel Pollard, Managing Director at H E Barnes Ltd said “At H E Barnes we have a strong sense of local heritage and we are wholeheartedly committed to the importance of social and added value in the projects we undertake. We believe it is vitally important that we give something back to the communities that have supported us over the past 95 years and contributed to making us the business we are today. We became aware of the services provided by FareShare Yorkshire through our involvement on The Glass Works redevelopment scheme in Barnsley, as the M&E services partner for principal contractor Henry Boot Construction. We are proud to be able to offer our support in the plight of tackling food insecurity throughout the region which has never been more vital in these difficult and challenging times.”
FareShare Yorkshire has been redistributing in-date surplus food from growers, manufacturers and retailers for 22 years. The Barnsley and Leeds based charity provided over 1,500 tonnes of food to 372 charities and community groups during the last 6 months, with demand set to rise further over the winter period.
