Kelvin = - Food Cycle presentation

www.foodcycle.org.uk

FoodBlogger Conference 2013

FoodCycle KelvinCheung_uk


Our mission

FoodCycle builds communities by combining volunteers, surplus food and free kitchen space to cook tasty, nutritious meals for those at risk

of food poverty and social isolation.


Our objectives

1. Reduce food waste

2. Tackle food poverty

3. Empower and train volunteers

4. Reduce social isolation


Since 2008…

• Saved kgs surplus

• Served meals 60,000

46,000

61,000

• Created volunteer hours


Some fun stories about starting up!


Getting noticed

• Award winning• Every Day Impact Aware, DFS, 2012• PM’s Big Society Award, 2011• Best New Charity, Charity Times, 2010

• Social media• 6200 twitter and 4500 facebook followers

• Celebrity chefs• Jamie Oliver • Valentine Warner• Ken Hom• Giorgio Locatelli• Tom Hunt



Our operations

• Hub programme• 14 Hubs• Volunteer-led• Community fundraising

• Local links, local needs

• Unique and innovative


• Community Café• Events

Our operations


What really matters…

• 67% - feel more connected to their communities

• 71% - have made new friends

• 67% - have used the service 10+ times


“It gets me out of the house for a while - something to do. I’m not allowed to work, you see. I’ve made friends here”.

“There’s a lot of homelessness here and a lot of people who are on the streets. I think this place makes people more together – they’re not alone”.

“I’ve met new people. There’s people with various problems here, but when you get here your problems go away, so to speak. We can sit down and have a nice meal”.

“… it’s absolutely amazing … it helps out financially but there’s also the social side”.

“Someone will say, “How was your week?” and that’s nice. It’s good to speak to someone new, you’re out of your box…”

“… you find a lot of people like yourself that have been through the same thing as yourself”.

“I live on my own, you see, so cook for myself… you normally end up buying ready meals”.

Why people come back…

Impact of volunteering

• 83% - made friends with people from different backgrounds and cultures

• 71% - confidence had improved

• 68% - volunteering has given them better skills to find a job


Empowering volunteers

• Annual training conference• 100 volunteers:

• Volunteer and project management• Fundraising• Working with vulnerable adults• Cooking and nutrition• Public speaking


Our role

• In the UK, 15 million tonnes is thrown away annually

• 50% in our homes• 540,000 tonnes of bread!

• Not political • Not campaigning

• 370,000 tonnes wasted at retailer level – we have reclaimed 61 tonnes surplus


The UK sector

FoodCycle collaborates and shares learning with the sector


The UK sector

• Voluntary Courtauld Agreement

• Food waste hierarchy

• Working with Defra


Challenges

• Volunteer-led programme • Investment in people• Local autonomy vs national brand• Change is slow!

• Confusion in sector• Not soup kitchen or re-distribution charity


Challenges

• Rapid expansion• 4 to 12 projects in 1 year• 3 to 10 staff in 1 year

• Financial sustainability• Café needs 40% funding• Community fundraising fluctuates


Challenges

• Working with retailers• Head office vs store level• Once a week• Selective surplus• Competing with AD


Lessons learned

• Focus on mission and adapt• Borrow > learn > share• Balance ambition with achievable growth• Volunteer management, essential:

• Change management• Clear boundaries• Start with caution


Why FoodCycle?

• What makes us special? • Local links• Continuous innovation• Collaboration• National movement


Social franchise model

• After 5 years of learning…• 14 to 200 Hubs in 10 years

• The member model:• Part of FoodCycle network• Local ownership• Financial stability

• Future commercial café?


To sum up!

• Your volunteers/fans are your voice and your credibility

• Brand recognition integral since start

• Open sourced model of innovation with a solid foundation

• Get in touch – [email protected]


Get stuck in

• Get in touch – [email protected]

• Fundraise!!

• Promote!!

• Volunteer!!

Documents

Kelvin = - Food Cycle presentation